- Strike action by CBSA employees has been put off until at least Wednesday (June 12), according to an announcement late Friday afternoon (June 7). The union representing the workers, the Customs and Immigration Union (affiliated with the Public Service Alliance of Canada), has threatened strike action unless a solution is found with the employer. Although long queues at border entry points would be an obvious result, it is not clear how any strike action might affect Canpass and Canpass-Private Aircraft programs, both of which depend on timely phone calls by pilots for border crossing clearances.
- The Give Hope Wings 2024 Eastern Expedition took off on June 2 for a one-week tour of Eastern Canada to raise awareness of, and funds for, Hope Air, the national charity that provides travel arrangements free of charge to those needing to travel to a distant location to receive medical care. A highlight of this tour is a community event on Friday (June 7) in Timmins, Ontario, featuring country music star Cory Marks. Friday has been proclaimed Hope Air Day in Ontario. Two more expeditions are planned for later this month on the Prairies and in British Columbia.
- On Monday (June 3), Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hosted both the president and the secretary-general of ICAO, the United Nations agency dedicated to aviation matters and whose headquarters is in Montreal. According to a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, “The leaders discussed the importance of ensuring a safe, secure, sustainable, and accessible global civil aviation system, including the peaceful settlement of aviation-related disputes.”
Transport minister Pablo Rodriguez was also on hand to welcome the delegation. “We are so pleased to welcome ICAO leadership and Council to Ottawa. The world benefits from ICAO’s positive impacts on global aviation and Canada welcomes every opportunity to demonstrate our leadership and contributions to this important work. We are committed to working with ICAO to ensure safe, secure, sustainable, inclusive, and accessible air travel for people around the world,” said Rodriguez. There was no mention of whether Transport Canada’s failing grade in its most recent ICAO audit was discussed.