The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has scheduled a hearing into a complaint by a former Air Canada First Officer who was forced-retired as a result of the provisions of the collective agreement in force between Air Canada and its pilot union. That hearing will take place in January.
The Canadian government over 20 years ago abandoned maximum age limitations on airline pilot licensing (apparently on Constitutional grounds--contrary to the age discrimination provisions) but our current Human Rights Act exempts from the age discrimination prohibition situations "when the individual has reached the normal age of retirement for employees working in positions similar to the position of the individual."
The question thus becomes one of, what is the "normal" age of retirement for an airline pilot? Who is the "comparator group." In th case of Air Canada, should it include the domestic competition, or only the international carriers?
A group of us have applied to intervene in the hearing, in support of the Complainant, and we have set up a web site as a central resource to provide information in regard to the Age 60 issue.
www.flypast60.com
I would be interested in receiving comments here from others who may face the same situation, particularly given the ICAO age restriction changes that are to take effect on November 23rd.
One question of interest to us, is what effect with the ICAO changes have on carriers flying into the U.S.A. if their government will no longer be able to prevent over-60 aged pilots-in-command from operating into and out of their airspace.
Warmest regards from Canada.