Statement made on 29 March 2012 by Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette
Hon. Céline Hervieux-Payette:
Honourable senators, my question is also for the Leader of the Government in the Senate, to help the Aveos workers. I just learned that the minister is as sorry as we are that these people are losing their jobs. We may have some solutions.
We know that the Air Canada Public Participation Act of 1988 stipulated that the Air Canada service centres had to be maintained in Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg. Three centres are now closed. Minister Lebel refuses to intervene, saying that it is a business matter between two private companies. However, he is part of the same government that came to the rescue of the banks and the automakers like GM and Chrysler to the tune of billions of dollars, when the financial crisis harshly affected their bottom lines.
When will Minister Lebel reopen the dialogue with the Aveos workers and ensure the financial sustainability of the company by taking the same measures that were taken to bail out GM and Chrysler?
In the past, we saw Air Canada employees make sacrifices to save the company. Our legislation allows the government to give a company such as Aveos a new financial structure in order to save it.
Could the minister tell us whether her government intends to help save these three maintenance centres and this company with the help of Aveos workers?
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