First Nations leaders may ask feds to step in on Perimeter Air service

Northern Manitoba First Nations leaders continue to level complaints against an airline that travels to several remote and northern communities, and they say if things don’t change soon they may even ask the federal government to step in.

During a media conference held last week, chiefs and band councillors in the Island Lake region, which includes the Wasagamack, St. Theresa Point, Red Sucker Lake, and Garden Hill First Nations, said Perimeter Aviation continues to fail at meeting the needs of northern First Nations citizens, and said the airline is also putting the health and safety of some citizens at risk.

Complaints against the Winnipeg-based airline, which is currently owned by the Exchange Income Corporation and services more than a dozen First Nations communities, include the airline moving towards more cashless payment options, as they say that is a big issue for some who may not have a debit or credit card or even have a bank account, and they are also worried about baggage limits that are forcing citizens who may be on fixed incomes to pay more to have their baggage checked.

But the leaders say they are also worried about the safety of northern First Nations citizens who may be dealing with medical issues, because of what they say are ongoing delays and flight cancellations.

“Our medical transportation depends on that airline, it is our lifeline,” Ron Beardy, a band councillor for Garden Hill First Nation said during last week’s media conference.

Beardy claimed there have been people who have died that he believes might have survived if not for delays in getting medical services he says have been caused because of flight delays and cancellations by Perimeter Aviation.

“A lot of people are leaving us unnecessarily due to insufficient services that are supposed to be provided for our community,” he said.

The leaders also accused the airline of having a “monopoly” on air services in northern Manitoba, and said they may ask Transport Canada to investigate.

This is not the first time First Nations leaders have publicly stated they are not satisfied with services offered by Perimeter Aviation, as last month Manto Sipi Cree Nation Chief Michael Yellowback said at the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) Chiefs-in-Assembly Annual General Meeting (AGM) he continues to be disappointed in the services, and believes the way the airline is being run does not work for the needs of First Nations people.

“The policies they have in place are not conducive to the demographics of our people,” Yellowback said during the Aug. 22 meeting.

In a statement sent to the Winnipeg Sun, Perimeter Aviation President and CEO Joey Petrisor said the company will now commit to “addressing challenges and enhancing travel experience,” but admitted some of the issues began to arise or were exacerbated when the COVID-19 pandemic began.

“The pandemic highlighted the worldwide pilot shortage and unfortunately Perimeter Aviation was not immune to this issue,” Petrisor said. “We have recently settled a new contract with our Pilots’ Union. This contract will assist with our pilot shortage, ensuring we have crews we can dispatch when and where our guests need them.

“Escalating costs have affected everyone including Perimeter Aviation. We have done our best to keep tickets and freight as low as possible.”

In a statement sent to the Winnipeg Sun, a Transport Canada spokesperson said the federal government would only investigate a privately-run airline if there was a belief that the company was abusing or monopolizing its power, but they have so far received no official calls for an investigation of Perimeter Aviation.

“Perimeter Aviation, like other Canadian commercial air carriers, is a private-sector company and, as such, makes its own business decisions to remain viable and competitive. The frequency of flights, the services offered, including medivac, and the prices charged by airlines are based on market forces and not government regulation,” the spokesperson said.

“Should there be a belief that the delays and cancellations are the result of an abuse of a dominant position by an air carrier, then the complaint could be directed to the Commissioner of Competition.”

This story was originally published in The Winnipeg Sun. It is republished under a Creative Commons license as part of the Local Journalism Initiative.