With a crew of nine flight attendants and pilot, all with Indigenous heritage, Air Canada took flight from Vancouver to Toronto on April 27 highlighting and celebrating the professional achievements of Indigenous employees in aviation.
The Boeing 777 had numerous members of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) from across BC and the Yukon onboard travelling to the 8th Annual FNMPC Conference in Toronto.
Prior to flight boarding, a symbolic Indigenous ceremony onboard the aircraft was carried out by Mary Point, Director, Indigenous Relations at Vancouver Airport Authority, who is a member of the Musqueam band. She sang the traditional Musqueam Paddle Song, signifying cultural connection, following by welcome and a blessing before leading passengers down to board the aircraft.
Also in attendance was Air Canada’s Manager, Indigenous Relations & Reconciliation, Jim Sa’ke’j Hemsworth, who is a member of the Mi’gmaq Nation and leads an Indigenous employee resource group at Air Canada that works to advance initiatives such as career outreach, education and honouring Indigenous cultures.
One such collaboration is with the FNMPC which is a non-profit organization supporting its First Nations members with tools to advance economic growth, environmental support and public policy improvements.
“This flight fosters Indigenous inclusion, honours Indigenous cultures, and sets an example for supporting Indigenous participation in industries. It stands as a strong statement of progress and inclusion,” stated Hemsworth.
Air Canada says the company “recognizes that reconciliation is a journey, and we are committed to learning, consulting and fostering respectful relationships. Air Canada’s network crosses many treaty lands as well as unceded and traditional territories of Indigenous nations and governments on Turtle Island (in other words, North America). In doing so, Air Canada recognizes the ancestral and traditional lands of the Indigenous Peoples we fly over.”
If this article was shared with you by a friend or colleague, you may enjoy receiving your own copy of Travel Industry Today with the latest travel news and reviews each weekday morning. It’s absolutely free – just CLICK HERE.