On this blog, we predicted that Mark Carney might eventually be forced to step down as Prime Minister once he fully grasped the chaos Justin Trudeau left behind. Whether that prediction comes true remains to be seen, but cracks are already appearing around Carney’s leadership.
The Airline Industry’s Razor-Thin Margins
Airlines are notoriously difficult businesses. Profit margins hover around 3.5%, roughly equivalent to the guaranteed payout on a dividend-paying whole life insurance policy. The difference? An insurance policy grows in value over time and allows policy loans. Airline shares, meanwhile, can collapse overnight.
This is why Air Canada’s problems run deeper than a labour dispute. Operational costs are massive, competition is fierce, and margins leave little room for error. Add to this the Trudeau-Carney obsession with ESG schemes — including higher jet fuel costs under the banner of environmental policy — and the industry is being pushed further into unprofitability.
The Government’s Role in Air Canada’s Problems
Air Canada’s structure is particularly dysfunctional because the federal government is a partial owner while the airline also trades publicly on the stock market. This bizarre hybrid makes no sense. If the government wants full control, it should make Air Canada a crown corporation — but doing so would unleash the full weight of public-sector union demands.
The Canada Post model illustrates the danger. Believing it held a monopoly, Canada Post repeatedly raised stamp prices to cover higher union wages. This opened the door for UPS and private couriers to compete. Eventually, Canada Post lost major corporate accounts and was forced to depend on small and medium-sized businesses it once considered irrelevant.
If Air Canada followed the same model, it would face bankruptcy within years. Raising ticket prices to meet union demands would only drive passengers to competitors.
Unions, Strikes, and the Reality of Air Travel
Unions argue executives are overpaid, but competent CEOs willing to run an airline under constant scrutiny are rare. They take on enormous stress, blame, and even threats. Few qualified people would accept the role without a clear exit strategy.
When CUPE — the union representing Air Canada workers — refuses to obey back-to-work orders, it is essentially holding passengers hostage. Strikes mean mothers separated from children, families stranded in airports, lost vacations, and misplaced luggage. Yet union leaders treat this leverage as bargaining power, ignoring the paying customers caught in the middle.
This isn’t just a political fight. It’s a real-world crisis for travelers who spent thousands of dollars to fly.
The Broader Canadian Context
Canada’s leftist policies have made the country increasingly fragile. Unlike Germany, which at least committed to trying ESG before it failed, Canada’s adoption of environmental and collectivist policies is shallow, incoherent, and economically destructive.
The Canadian private sector has kept the economy from collapse thanks to its resource base and proximity to the United States. But with government-owned enterprises like Air Canada entangled with powerful unions, inefficiency and waste are inevitable.
Why Austerity is the Only Way Forward
Conservatives who fear austerity are deluding themselves. Canada is already on a trajectory toward forced austerity. Continuing down the path of ever-expanding government, union power, and higher taxes will only make the eventual collapse more painful.
Argentina endured more than a century of economic decline under Peronism before change became possible. Canada may face a similar fate. Unless Canadians are willing to confront the tyranny of bloated government and union power, living standards will continue to fall.
The Christian Perspective
At the heart of the issue is a lack of volunteerism — the principle at the core of Christianity. True Christian living means willingly giving of ourselves, not coercing others. Unions holding property hostage until they receive more money is greed disguised as justice.
Modern Canadians live far better than many kings of the past, yet unions and voters alike view themselves as victims rather than stewards of their blessings. The Bible repeatedly warns that when God is not placed first, chaos follows. History shows us this pattern clearly.
Real Christianity is about voluntary sacrifice, not forced redistribution. It is about building the Kingdom of God, not hijacking others’ property to serve narrow interests.
Conclusion
The Air Canada strike, CUPE’s defiance, and the broader dysfunction of Canadian governance are symptoms of a deeper problem: a nation that has replaced faith, discipline, and voluntary stewardship with entitlement, coercion, and greed.
Mark Carney is being tested. But whether he holds firm or falters, the real solution lies in Canadians rediscovering God’s truth.
When you are ready for Jesus, Jesus is ready for you. Consider making Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior today.