Fighting for the Betterment of the Canadian Airline Industry

As is customary when I enter a new year as ALPA Canada president, I reflect on the year gone by and ponder the possibilities that lie ahead. I continue to be amazed by the dedication, expertise, and character of the pilot volunteers I have the honour of working with. It’s to their credit that we’re so well positioned as the respected Association we are today. As we fight for the betterment of our entire industry—on and off the flight deck—we do so as the leading voice in aviation and labour across Canada.

Through strategic planning, perseverance, and an extraordinary amount of hard work, we’re viewed as professionals in the eyes of the public, media, and, more than ever before, our employers—who, one by one, are learning firsthand that as a well-respected, well-organized, and results-driven union, ALPA means business. Looking ahead, we’ll be busy on the bargaining front, working to secure collective agreements for our pilots at Canadian North, Flair, Kelowna Flightcraft, PAL Airlines, and Porter. And we’ll assist the Morningstar Air Express and WestJet pilots, who will file notices to bargain in the latter half of 2026.

Legislatively, despite the political upheaval of a federal election in 2025 and several changes to key ministerial portfolios, including Transport and Labour, we remain steadfast in establishing and advancing inroads with parliamentarians and staff, both new and experienced.

Regardless of who serves in Parliament, our pilot-partisan message remains consistent and clear when it comes to aviation safety: Canada’s airline pilots won’t stand for any attempt to weaken or suspend pilot fatigue regulations by commercial operators. On the contrary, we need improvements in some key areas, and we continue to maintain that ALPA Canada—as a key aviation stakeholder—must be a part of any discussions on Canada’s aviation regulatory framework and the implementation of any aviation-specific policies.

Our efforts to protect the collective bargaining process and prevent the government from intervening remain unwavering. We strongly believe that it is in the best interest of all parties to reach collective agreements at the bargaining table without government interference or the threat of such action. This interference works directly against the interests of employees and the unions who serve them.

I also look forward to having substantive discussions with government representatives on how to strengthen Canada’s economic footprint through labour’s role in a robust air transportation system, including emphasizing our extraordinarily important contributions to the supply chains upon which we all rely.

Our phenomenal growth in membership is another major contributing factor in our ability to be effective. It’s incredible that for the past eight years, ALPA Canada has added pilot groups to our organization. In fact, since 2017, our membership north of the border has grown by more than 600 percent to 13,500 members at 21 airlines!

With this substantial growth comes increased opportunities, and with these opportunities come added responsibility. With that in mind, I challenge you to think about what’s possible for our union and our profession. To achieve success—be it at the bargaining table, working to incrementally improve aviation safety, advancing a legislative agenda, or evolving our regulatory framework—we can’t rest on our laurels. We have a responsibility to consider where we stand, what we owe our members, and how we go about the business of serving them.

But what does this mean? As a member-driven, grassroots organization, it means that, as pilots, we have a responsibility to leave the profession better than when we entered it. With that comes an imperative to understand our roles in how to achieve improvements for all.

Gains made for some are never as meaningful, nor as long-lasting, as gains made for all. Essential as it is, unity means more than what many normally consider. It means working for yourself through serving others. It means seeing the value of all our peers across the entire profession. It means developing strategies now to advance our interests during the good times, while defending them when times grow tough. It means learning from our history as we set in motion plans for what comes next.

Most importantly, as I’ve often said, we each do better when we all do better. Here’s to a great 2026 for all.