Calgary MP wants increased federal support for ‘struggling’ aviation workers

CALGARY (660 NEWS) — A Calgary MP is calling on the federal government to support thousands of aviation workers who remain unemployed due to COVID-19.

Calgary Midnapore MP Stephanie Kusie wants Ottawa to recognize that several workers in the aviation industry have been hit hard by the pandemic.

“(People) who have lost their jobs, who are struggling to provide for their families and put food on their tables,” said Kusie, who is also the shadow minister of transport.

Kusie says Canada’s aviation industry cannot afford to lose these skilled workers — front-line personnel who risked their lives to repatriate thousands of Canadians stuck abroad at the start of the pandemic.

“Workers should be protected,” said Kusie. “Regional routes should be restored. They’ve had close to a year now to do it. It’s taking them a long time. I can’t figure out why it would take so long to get to some type of resolution.”

The Calgary MP symbolically gifted Omar Alghabra, Canada’s transport minister, a box of memorabilia from workers. The gesture was meant to serve as a reminder that airline workers are still struggling.

The box contained pins, scarves and letters from many airline personnel.

“Hundreds of pieces,” said Kusie. “And I and my staff created a beautiful box, which I believe elegantly displays really these symbols of their life’s work.”

Alghabra’s press secretary Allison St-Jean says the government has made it a priority to find solutions that will ensure the airline sector is on sound footing when the economy recovers.

She said maintaining Canada’s competitive air sector and its airlines is a priority. Part of that includes job protection, which she says would be prioritized if the air sector gets further support from taxpayers.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, the air sector has received over $1.7 billion in support through CEWS [Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy] to help keep thousands of Canadian workers on payroll, including pilots, flight attendants, air traffic controllers, baggage handlers and many others in the aviation sector,” said St-Jean in an emailed statement.

She says the fall economic statement makes a new investment of $1.1 billion, which includes $65 million in additional financial support to airport authorities.