TORONTO – The Aveos shutdown breaches key sections of the Air Canada Public Participation Act, New Democrats argued today. The Act mandates that Air Canada’s overhaul operations must remain in Winnipeg, Mississauga and Montreal. This ensured that Canadians would continue to benefit after the privatization of the airline. The overhaul work was previously contracted out to Aveos, which ceased operations this week.
New Democrat critic for Transport, Olivia Chow, spoke out today on this issue.
“Thousands of good Canadian jobs have been lost and we know there is also a legal obligation for Air Canada to maintain overhaul operations in these locations. The Conservatives must stand up and investigate this closure to ensure that the Act is enforced and that overhaul operations can resume.”
The NDP fully supports the obligations in the Air Canada Public Participation Act to maintain overhaul operations in Canada. Going forward, New Democrats will continue to press the Conservatives to ensure that this act is upheld given the Aveos closure.
“There are 1,800 people in Quebec now out of work, and there are numerous calls for action to save these jobs and to ensure that Air Canada fulfills its obligations to the Act. Quebec has been hit hard by cuts to the aerospace sector and we need these cuts to end now,” said Industry critic Guy Caron.
