Very well done, Northspray.
I work for GO and it was known to us before we started the association that it would proved more difficult than any other division to get certification.
We are real mixed of international resources. The biggest hurdle that our lawyer warned us about was "jurisdiction of the Canadian labor board". CHC GO had a long list of objections against our application and the one they were banking on was "jurisdiction".
After 10 months of deliberation the board ruled that it had jurisdiction and, after reading the ruling, it had very strong arguments to support its ruling. GO immediately appealed the decision but unless they have something drastically new it is unlikely that it will be reversed. GO pulled every tricks in the hat on the first hearing.
The other objections that the board has to rule on are, in my view, a lot easier and clear cut. The next ruling expected from the CIRB is on GO next objection.
Indeed GO claim that they are not the true employer of its pilot and in fact pilots are true employees of the local companies. i.e.: TAS in Thailand, ACN in Nigeria and so forth and so on.
It is very interesting to see how GO is fighting like a devil swimming in holy water. GO will pull every tactics possible to extend and stall the certification process and that only polarized the view of the association’s members.
My personal opinion is that, in light of the last and most important ruling, the association will be certified in about a year's time from now.
Then the CHC-PA could, with pride, update the GHPA status to "completed".
From somewhere in Africa that starts with an "N"... Plakstift.