The motion to pass the Air Canada (ACa.TO)(ACb.TO) bill in a matter of hours will be introduced shortly after midday, said Fraser Malcolm, a spokesman for the Conservative government's House leader.

The bill itself, which would preclude a work stoppage at the country's largest airline, is expected to be introduced in the afternoon. Last week, the government temporarily avoided a lockout and a strike that had been set for Monday morning, by referring the matter to the Canada Industrial Relations Board CIRB.L.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper set the tone on Friday by saying an Air Canada shutdown would hurt the national economy, which is still recovering from recession. He said the airline had asked for government assistance during the economic crisis, and he would not let the airline shut itself down now.

Labour Minister Lisa Raitt asked the CIRB on Thursday to decide whether Air Canada was crucial for the health and safety of Canadians. If it is deemed an essential service, that would preclude a labor disruption.

The government's concurrent move to pass back-to-work legislation is designed to ensure service continues even if the CIRB ruled Air Canada was not an essential service.

Any labor disruptions would have hit at a busy time, when many Canadians are travelling during their schools' March break.

"It is business as usual with Air Canada's flights today," airline spokeswoman Angela Mah said.

(Reporting by Randall Palmer in Ottawa and Nicole Mordant in Vancouver; Editing by Peter Galloway and Rob Wilson)

• A Permanent Economic Emergency