Olivia Chow, MP

Aveos: Conservatives Protecting CEOs, not Workers

Conservatives Shut Down Investigation of How Air Canada Abandoned Thousands of Workers

March 29, 2012

OTTAWA – Conservatives are more interested in protecting their multi-million dollar-salaried CEO friends than in finding out why and how 2,600 middle-class jobs at Aveos are being shipped abroad – that’s the conclusion from today’s events in the House of Commons Transport Committee.

Despite the Transport Minister’s word that the Aveos bankruptcy would be investigated in committee, Conservatives today refused to summon the former Air Canada subsidiary’s executives. “What we see is a Conservative government in cahoots with Air Canada’s management – who wanted to dump the heavy maintenance division all along,” NDP Transport Critic Olivia Chow points out.

After the Conservatives shut down the Aveos investigation, the New Democrats held Minister Lebel accountable in the House of Commons. Hiding behind an army of lawyers, they may claim that Air Canada is not breaching the 1988 that deals with its bodged privatization. But thousands of Canadian families that are thrown into joblessness and disarray won’t be satisfied by ther Harper governments cynical unwillingness to help, the MP for Trinity-Spadina concludes.

Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity—Spadina, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, since privatizing Air Canada the Conservatives have been in cahoots with Air Canada, allowing it to cast its workers out on the streets.

The minister has betrayed those workers. He is playing political games and preventing the CEO of Aveos from being summoned to the transport committee.

We are talking about jobs and public safety. Why is the minister putting the interests of CEOs ahead of those of Canadian workers?

Hon. Denis Lebel (Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, the loss of these jobs is devastating for workers who continue to support security all across Transport Canada. That issue is very important.

I am disappointed with how Aveos has treated its employees during this challenging time. The legal advice I received states that Air Canada is in compliance with the act.