Transport Committee on Dec. 14th, 2010
Evidence of meeting #44 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was air.
A recording is available from Parliament.
On the agenda
MPs speaking
Also speaking
- Louise-Hélène Sénécal Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada
- Michel Bissonnette Senior Director, Engines and Airframe Maintenance, Air Canada
- Joseph Galimberti Director, Government Relations, Air Canada
11:40 a.m.
Liberal
11:40 a.m.
Director, Government Relations, Air Canada
Far be it for me to make suggestions to the Government of Canada or to the Parliament of Canada as to how it wants to revise its statutes going forward.
We have, since 1985, complied with the Air Canada Public Participation Act. It is our obligation to comply with it going forward.
11:40 a.m.
Liberal
Sukh Dhaliwal Newton—North Delta, BC
So what maintenance of the Air Canada fleet occurs outside Canada, and why?
11:40 a.m.
Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada
Outside Canada would be line maintenance when the aircraft is down.
11:40 a.m.
Director, Government Relations, Air Canada
There would be a certain element of emergency maintenance, if an engine were to fail, say, in a foreign base or if there needed to be substantial maintenance done when the aircraft was located outside of Canada, but that would not certainly be the primary option.
11:45 a.m.
Liberal
Sukh Dhaliwal Newton—North Delta, BC
Are you aware of your competitor, WestJet, doing the same thing? How do they handle the—
11:45 a.m.
Director, Government Relations, Air Canada
WestJet subcontracts entirely. They maintain none of their own maintenance.
11:45 a.m.
Liberal
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
11:45 a.m.
Bloc
Michel Guimond Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC
Thank you.
I would like to point out to Mr. Jean that the act was introduced in 1985, but it received royal assent on August 18, 1988, under the Conservative government at the time. Don Mazankowski was the Minister of Transport.
I would like to come back to you, Ms. Sénécal. You thought that I had perhaps forgotten you.
I would like to say to Mr. Galimberti that I appreciate the answer he gave to my colleague Mr. Dhaliwal, when he said that the law was clear. Everyone who knows how to read, even a child who is learning to do so, would understand that what you have there are provisions requiring the corporation to maintain operational and overhaul centres in the three cities. You are right, the law is clear.
You are correct, Ms. Sénécal, in saying that Air Canada must comply with the law. You told me earlier that Air Canada had 1,500 employees in the overhaul centres. I will repeat my question. I will give you another chance, because the first time you went off in the wrong direction.
How many employees does Air Canada have in the overhaul centres located in Winnipeg, Mississauga and Montreal?
11:45 a.m.
Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada
There are currently approximately 3,000 employees working for Aveos in those centres.
11:45 a.m.
Bloc
11:45 a.m.
Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada
That is currently the case and will remain so as long as the seniority list has not been shared.
11:45 a.m.
Bloc
Michel Guimond Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC
Therefore, do you consider that you are still meeting your obligation?
11:45 a.m.
Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada
I am telling you today that we are meeting our obligation. However, if you believe that is because we have employees, that is your interpretation. We are meeting our obligation, but our employees are now working for Aveos.