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 aveos.

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

12:35 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC

What will happen in April?

December 14th, 2010 / 12:35 p.m.

Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada

Louise-Hélène Sénécal

I thought we were here to talk about the Air Canada Public Participation Act and maintenance activities.

In what way does our analyses and our obligations—

12:35 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC

That is true, you are correct.

I will put my question to Michel Bissonnette.

Mr. Bissonnette, are you based in Montreal?

12:35 p.m.

Senior Director, Engines and Airframe Maintenance, Air Canada

12:35 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC

Okay.

To Mr. Bevington's question, you answered that you have aircraft that fly all over the world and that if a plane was in Lima, Peru, and a warning light came on, you would ensure maintenance of the aircraft on site.

Are overhaul activities conducted outside of Montreal, Mississauga and Winnipeg? Are there overhaul centres elsewhere?

12:35 p.m.

Senior Director, Engines and Airframe Maintenance, Air Canada

Michel Bissonnette

The only other place where they are overhauled, outside of Montreal and Winnipeg—because Toronto is an operational centre—is Vancouver, as I previously stated.

12:35 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC

Very well.

However, the company is not required to maintain an overhaul centre in Vancouver.

12:35 p.m.

Senior Director, Engines and Airframe Maintenance, Air Canada

12:35 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC

In the time remaining, please describe the work that is done.

Am I right to say that maintenance consists in changing a tire, for example? That is small maintenance. You are dealing with big aircraft, but that is small maintenance work that can be done overnight or in one day. You take advantage of the night time or morning, when the aircraft is not flying, to carry out repairs. That is small maintenance.

However, how long does it usually take to overhaul an aircraft?

12:35 p.m.

Senior Director, Engines and Airframe Maintenance, Air Canada

Michel Bissonnette

You're well informed on the line maintenance activities of Air Canada, I'll give you that. Overhaul is anything that I determine will take longer than one day, however long it takes.

12:35 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC

Very well.

I visited your overhaul centres a few years ago. I could see the frame of an aircraft, which was all that was left after it had been taken apart.

You say that an aircraft is completely dismantled, so that must take more than a day. How long can it take to do an overhaul?

12:35 p.m.

Senior Director, Engines and Airframe Maintenance, Air Canada

Michel Bissonnette

We've had aircraft that have taken up to 90 days.

12:35 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC

Ninety days you say.

12:35 p.m.

Senior Director, Engines and Airframe Maintenance, Air Canada

Michel Bissonnette

It's greater than one day, to however long it takes to complete all of the events on the aircraft.

12:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

Merci, monsieur Guimond.

Mr. Bevington, give your final comments.

12:35 p.m.

NDP

Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT

I agree with the comments of my colleague from the Liberal Party. Clearly, the relationship between Air Canada and Aveos is paramount to why we brought you here, because Aveos is doing the work that's in your act of continuance. The fact that you can't answer the questions we give you means your presence here....

Who in your organization would be able to answer my question about any proposals that were given to Air Canada from Aveos for relocation of a maintenance facility?

12:35 p.m.

Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada

Louise-Hélène Sénécal

We said we don't believe there are any.

12:35 p.m.

Senior Director, Engines and Airframe Maintenance, Air Canada

12:35 p.m.

NDP

Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT

There are none or you don't believe there are any?

12:35 p.m.

Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada

Louise-Hélène Sénécal

Well, we don't believe there are any.

12:35 p.m.

NDP

Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT

Would it take someone else in your organization to give us a more definitive answer?

12:35 p.m.

Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada

12:35 p.m.

Director, Government Relations, Air Canada

12:35 p.m.

A voice

[Inaudible--Editor]

12:35 p.m.

NDP

Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT

Well, that wasn't the answer I got the last time, if you remember, and I believe this is my question time.

So when we don't see answers about the relationship between you and Aveos, if those answers are not forthcoming, then you're really not fulfilling our requirements here. Are there any other people within your organization who could give us more definitive answers on the relationship between you and Aveos?