Air Canada Apologizes for Mishandling Indigenous Chief's Sacred Headdress

Air Canada has issued an apology after staff took the headdress of Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak from the plane cabin and placed it in a plastic bag during a flight from Montreal to Fredericton. The airline acknowledged the incident as "regrettable" and said it will review its policies to ensure the proper handling of sacred cultural items.

Woodhouse Nepinak expressed her dismay over the incident on Facebook, stating that Air Canada needs a protocol for accommodating sacred cultural items. "I was forced to hand over the case containing my headdress, which was with me in the plane's cabin," she said. "The case was put in a plastic bag, but the pilot later brought it back after I complained."

Air Canada reached out to the national chief to apologize for her experience. In a statement, the airline said, "We acknowledge the importance of accommodating customers with items of sacred cultural significance and will be reviewing our policies after this regrettable incident."

Why this matters: The mishandling of Chief Woodhouse Nepinak's sacred headdress highlights the need for cultural sensitivity and proper protocols when dealing with items of spiritual significance for Indigenous peoples. This incident emphasizes the importance of diversity training and inclusive policies in the airline industry to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez called the incident unacceptable and said the government expects Air Canada to treat Indigenous customers with respect. Former national chief Perry Bellegarde offered to advise Air Canada on a good path forward, emphasizing the need for stronger anti-racism training for all personnel.

Air Canada's apology and commitment to reviewing its policies come as a necessary step in addressing the concerns raised by Chief Woodhouse Nepinak and the Indigenous community. The airline's handling of this incident will be closely watched as it works to implement more culturally sensitive practices and prevent similar missteps in the future.

Key Takeaways

• Air Canada apologized for mishandling Assembly of First Nations chief's sacred headdress.
• Airline acknowledged incident as "regrettable" and will review policies on cultural items.
• Transport Minister called incident unacceptable, expects Air Canada to treat Indigenous customers with respect.
• Former national chief offered to advise Air Canada on anti-racism training for personnel.
• Air Canada's handling of this incident will be closely watched as it implements more culturally sensitive practices.