Madam Speaker, these have been hard years for Calgary.
Harder still was the past year for aviation workers. After the mergers and downsizing in energy companies, WestJet became our largest corporate headquarters, with 14,000 employees; 5,700 remain today. The job losses in aviation and related fields are in the tens of thousands, with temporary layoffs and furloughs hiding the enormity of the situation.
The former finance minister told the aviation industry that the government “had [their] backs” and were “ready to do anything and everything in [their] power to support those who are suffering.”
Where is this Liberal government now? It is muted and silent. There is no specific support for aviation workers, only empty promises and damaging policies.
Canada’s airline and aviation workers deserve better. They need a plan that will secure their jobs, secure the economy and secure their future. Canada’s Conservatives have that plan: more rapid testing, evidence-based quarantining, and financial support for workers in airports, airlines and aviation.