From Atop Parliament Hill

This article outlines ALPA's legislative priorities in Canada. For U.S. hot-topic issues, read "U.S. Legislative Issues on ALPA's Pilot-Partisan Agenda."

ALPA Canada’s Efforts in Ottawa and Across the Country to Advance Its Pilot-Partisan Agenda

In April 2026, the governing Liberal Party transitioned from a minority government to a majority government in the House of Commons. With a sufficient number of seats to pass most legislation without relying on support from opposition parties, the Liberal Pary has greater stability and a clearer path to advancing its legislative agenda.

For ALPA Canada, this new political landscape underscores the importance of sustained engagement with ministers, members of Parliament, and key decision-makers to ensure that the interests of airline pilots remain front and centre.

A Strong Voice for Canada’s Pilots

ALPA Canada represents more than 95 percent of Canada’s unionized airline pilots across 22 airlines. As ALPA membership continues to grow, so, too, does the Association’s influence and credibility among legislators, policy makers, industry leaders, and the broader labour movement. Today, ALPA Canada is widely recognized as the leading voice of the piloting profession and a trusted authority on aviation safety, labour, and public policy.

As a trusted resource, the Association works collaboratively with federal and provincial governments, parliamentarians from all political parties, and industry stakeholders. ALPA Canada provides operationally informed insight into how policy and regulatory decisions affect aviation safety, airline operations, and Canada’s air transportation system. The expertise of airline pilots is essential to maintaining the highest standards throughout Canada’s air transport system, for flight crews and the travelling public.

It’s through sustained advocacy, constructive engagement, and evidence-based policy recommendations that the Association continues to shape the future of aviation by ensuring the voice of Canada’s professional pilots is heard where it matters most.

Advancing Pilot Priorities—Legislative and Regulatory Engagement

Bill C-58: Historic Pro-Labour Legislation One Year Later

In June, ALPA Canada marked the one-year anniversary of Bill C-58, landmark legislation that prohibits the use of replacement workers in federally regulated sectors and strengthens the maintenance of activities process under Part I of the Canada Labour Code.

Throughout the legislative process, the Association played an active role in securing key amendments to the maintenance of activities provisions of the code, which are particularly important to ALPA members during the collective bargaining process. These changes provide clearer requirements for maintaining essential services during labour disputes and establish firm timelines for implementing agreements, reducing opportunities for delay tactics that can undermine collective bargaining.

One year later, Bill C-58 stands as a significant achievement, delivering greater fairness, transparency, and certainty to current and future rounds of collective bargaining for ALPA Canada members.

Strengthening Labour Relations and Supporting Workers

As part of its broader advocacy strategy to strengthen collective bargaining outcomes, ALPA Canada continues to engage with government, policy makers, and stakeholders on key labour priorities.

The Association participated in federal consultations aimed at improving labour relations and strengthening the Canada Labour Code. ALPA Canada’s submission called for reforms to enhance transparency, reinforce the integrity of the collective bargaining process, and ensure meaningful participation by both parties throughout negotiations.

Among the key recommendations set out in ALPA’s submission was the repeal of Section 107 of the code, which grants the federal minister of Labour authority to intervene during labour disputes. While historically used sparingly, the provision was invoked eight times between June 2024 and August 2025.

ALPA Canada believes the removal of Section 107 is a necessary step to restore balance and integrity to the collective bargaining process. The Association continues to closely monitor these consultations and will remain engaged as the initiative moves into its next phase.

Capt. Tim Perry, ALPA Canada president, also spoke as a witness before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills, and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities during the committee’s study on “the definition of ‘work’ and the use of Section 107 in the Canada Labour Code.”

Perry’s remarks reiterated ALPA Canada’s serious concern regarding the government’s increasing intervention in labour disputes and its impact on the integrity of the collective bargaining process.

“Unfortunately, government intervention to end labour disputes in the federal sector has now become commonplace,” he observed.

“We believe that parties must be motivated to remain at the bargaining table and put in the hard work required to reach a negotiated collective agreement that both workers and the employer can stand behind.

“Anything short of this causes a significant and long-lasting destabilization of labour relations and to our national transportation systems and trade corridors.”

ALPA Canada will continue to call on the government to respect workers’ rights and encourage collective bargaining until the continued misuse of Section 107 is halted.

Air Passenger Protection Regulations

Since their introduction in 2019, Canada’s air passenger protection regulations (APPRs) have generated widespread concern among industry stakeholders, including ALPA Canada, due to their complexity and lack of clarity.

In September 2023, the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) launched consultations on proposed amendments to APPRs. The Association participated in the consultation process to protect the longstanding principle of captain’s authority following a proposal by the CTA to remove an existing safety-related exemption category. That category had explicitly recognized safety-related decisions made at the pilot’s discretion and was proposed to be replaced with a more restrictive list of “exceptional circumstances.”

While the inclusion of ALPA Canada’s proposed language in draft regulations was viewed as a positive step, no final regulatory text has yet been released as of June. The government has since indicated its intention to “develop a more effective regulatory regime with clearer rules to ensure passengers are fairly and more quickly compensated when air travel does not go as planned,” and intends to introduce legislation to advance these changes.

The Association will continue to advocate for the explicit recognition of a captain’s authority to make safety-related operational decisions, which are essential to protecting aviation safety and preventing undue pressure on pilots to compromise safety to avoid financial penalties for airlines.

ALPA Canada’s position remains clear: pilots—and by extension, their employers—should never be penalized for decisions that prioritize the safety of passengers, crewmembers, and aircraft.

The Association will continue to engage actively with government to ensure the pilot perspective is reflected in forthcoming legislative and regulatory updates.

Opposing the Erosion of Flight- and Duty-Time Regulations

ALPA Canada continues to champion the protection and advancement of aviation safety in Canada through ongoing engagement with federal and provincial governments, regulators, and industry stakeholders.

When it comes to Canada’s flight- and duty-time regulations, ALPA Canada actively and vigorously opposes any effort to weaken, suspend, or exempt commercial operators from complying with these critical standards. Granting relief from fatigue regulations would undermine an evidence- and science-based safety framework that protects flight crews, passengers, and the travelling public from the well-documented risks associated with pilot fatigue.

When Transport Canada proposed a broad “global” exemption to the existing fatigue regulations late last year, ALPA Canada took action to engage regulators and elected officials, advocating for practical solutions rather than accepting a rollback of these critical safety protections.

While the proposal was intended to provide operators with greater operational flexibility, it would have significantly weakened established fatigue safeguards and increased the risk of fatigue-related safety hazards. The Association strongly opposed the proposal and continues to push back on any proposal that compromises safety to crewmembers and passengers. Aviation safety—not operational convenience—remains the primary consideration in all of ALPA Canada discussions.

The Association believes that protecting pilots from fatigue-related risks requires sustained commitment from governments, regulators, labour organizations, and industry alike and continues to advocate for fatigue regulations that are grounded in science, informed by operational experience, and consistently applied across the industry. By preserving strong fatigue protections, ALPA Canada can safeguard the health and well-being of flight crews while maintaining the highest standards of safety for everyone who depends on Canada’s aviation system.

Association Advocacy: Powered by ALPA Pilots

Advocating for Pilot Priorities on Hill Day

In December 2025, ALPA Canada hosted its third annual Hill Day, bringing together pilot advocates from many ALPA pilot groups for two days of advocacy training and engagement with elected and government officials.

Hill Day highlighted the priorities of Canada’s airline pilots to advance policies to strengthen aviation safety, protect pilot careers, and support a resilient aviation industry.

Their message was clear: maintaining strong, science-based safety regulations and protecting fair labour practices are essential to ensuring the continued safety and stability of Canada’s aviation industry.

Hill Day once again showcased the strength of ALPA Canada’s unified voice. Through dozens of meetings and conversations, pilot advocates reinforced the Association’s position as a trusted and credible resource on aviation policy, safety, and labour issues.

The event also coincided with ALPA Canada’s annual holiday reception, providing additional opportunities to strengthen and build relationships with parliamentarians, government officials, industry stakeholders, and aviation partners from across the country who support the Association’s advocacy efforts year-round.

Building on the success of Hill Day 2025, planning is already well under way for the fourth annual Hill Day. Expected to be the largest event yet, Hill Day 2026 will bring even more pilot voices to Ottawa, ensuring the priorities of Canada’s airline pilots remain front and centre on the government’s agenda.

Joining Forces for a Stronger Voice

While ALPA Canada advocates year-round on behalf of its members, the Association also recognize that a united labour movement carries greater influence.

With that in mind, ALPA Canada joined with other unions across the country to support the Canadian Labour Congress’s letter-writing campaign, urging Canada’s senators to reconsider recommendations that were widely viewed as out of step with the realities facing Canadian workers.

Among the Senate committee’s several recommendations was the proposal to remove the ability to strike and allow contracts to be imposed on rail and port workers.

ALPA Canada believes that these recommendations fail to reflect the economic or workplace realities of Canada’s labour market, undermine the collective bargaining process, and represent a significant step backward for workers’ rights.

While directed at the rail and port sectors, the implications extend beyond those industries and set a concerning precedent for all Canadian workers, including pilots represented by ALPA Canada.

By standing with the broader labour movement in Canada, the Association reaffirmed its commitment to protecting fundamental collective bargaining rights and ensuring the voices of Canadian workers continue to be heard.

A Seat at the Table

The Association’s strong pilot-partisan advocacy continues to be a driving force behind expanding pilot influence and advancing key issues within Canada’s political and regulatory landscape.

Through ALPA Canada’s unified and engaged membership, the Association continues to strengthen its position as the leading voice of the piloting profession and a trusted advocate for aviation safety and labour rights.

As governments, regulators, and industry stakeholders navigate a rapidly evolving aviation environment, ALPA Canada remains committed to ensuring that pilots have a seat at the table when decisions affecting the profession are made.

ALPA Canada will continue to champion policies that protect pilot careers, strengthen aviation safety, and support a competitive and sustainable Canadian aviation sector.

The work, of course, doesn’t stop when Parliament rises. ALPA Canada’s advocacy efforts continue year-round, as the Association remains focused on delivering results for its members and shaping a stronger future for the next generation of airline pilots.

Advocacy and Engagement in Action

ALPA Canada seizes every opportunity to engage with government, industry, and labour partners through events, meetings, industry forums, and consultations, ensuring the priorities of Canada’s professional pilots remained front and centre.

The Association most recently took part in

• The International Civil Aviation Organization’s 42nd Assembly,
• The Canadian Labour Congress Leadership Forum,
• The Conference Board of Canada presentation,
• The Canadian Labour Congress’s 31st Constitutional Convention,
• Canada’s federal, provincial, and territorial ministers of Transport meeting,
• The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations 80th Conference,
• ALPA Canada Parliament Hill Day, and
• A submission for the Manitoba Workers Compensation Act review.

Keeping Parliament Hill Informed: ALPA Canada’s eBrief Newsletter

To provide federal decision-makers with year-round access to evidence-based aviation safety and labour insights, ALPA Canada launched a new newsletter, ALPA Canada’s eBrief. Delivered directly to the inboxes of members of Parliament and senators, this digital publication helps ensure the operational expertise of ALPA Canada’s 13,700 members remains a focal point in legislative and policy discussions on issues affecting airline pilots and the aviation industry.

The inaugural issue highlighted key ALPA Canada priorities, including efforts to restore balance to industrial relations through the repeal of Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code and outlined how Bill C-58 has strengthened collective bargaining for Canada’s professional pilots.