The two worst teams in the CFL hooked up on a blockbuster trade Monday.

A league source requesting anonymity told The Canadian Press that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have dealt rush end Tom Canada and the rights to Canadian-born defensive lineman Corey Mace to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for linebacker Zeke Moreno. The Bombers and Ticats are tied for fourth in the East Division standings with identical 2-8 records.

It's the second huge move of the day for Hamilton, which fired head coach Charlie Taaffe on Monday morning and replaced him on an interim basis with offensive co-ordinator Marcel Bellefeuille.

When contacted Monday night, Hamilton general manager Bob O'Billovich said he couldn't discuss anything surrounding the deal because nothing had been finalized yet.

"Nothing has been confirmed," he said.

The six-foot-three, 255-pound Canada is in his fifth CFL season, all with Winnipeg, and has emerged as one of the league's top pass rushers. However, the source says Canada, 28, is balking at reporting to Hamilton.

That could nix the deal, or force Winnipeg to send another player Hamilton's way.

Canada signed a multi-year deal with Winnipeg last year with a reported salary of $160,000. But $100,000 of that apparently was paid up front, leaving him with a $60,000 base stipend.

With the Bombers being better than halfway through the season, Canada would have been paid $130,000, giving him ample financial resources to dig in his heels and remain steadfast in not wanting to go to Hamilton.

Canada was the Bombers' outstanding defensive player last year, finishing third overall in the CFL with a career-high 12 sacks. But the California native has three sacks and an interception this season.

Moreno is in his second season with Hamilton and was a CFL all-star last season. Prior to joining the Ticats, Moreno, 29, spent time in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers (2001-`04) and Philadelphia Eagles (2005).

The six-foot-two, 246-pound Moreno, who played his college football at USC, had 114 tackles for Hamilton last season and has 53 tackles and two sacks in 2008 for the Ticats.

Mace, a native of Port Moody, B.C., is currently in his second season on the practice roster of the NFL's Buffalo Bills.