Canadian North names interim CEO after Avery’s sudden departure

Airline declines request for more details on change in its top leadership

Canadian North announced Wednesday it has named Rashwan Domloge interim president and CEO of the northern airline. The announcement comes after the departure of former head Chris Avery. (Photo by Mélanie Ritchot)

By Nunatsiaq News

Canadian North has named Rashwan Domloge its new interim president and CEO, following the sudden departure Wednesday of former president Chris Avery.

Requests by Nunatsiaq News for more information on the reason for Avery’s departure were declined by the airline, which services Canada’s North.

Avery joined the airline First Air in 2017, eventually becoming its president and CEO in 2018 when it merged with Canadian North. Following the merger, he took the top job at the new Canadian North.

“The Board thanks Chris for his contributions to the organization and wishes him well in his future endeavours,” spokesperson Annie Thomlinson said in a statement Thursday announcing Domloge’s appointment to head the airline on an interim basis.

Domloge previously served as Canadian North’s vice-president of maintenance and engineering for 13 years.

“During this time, he has demonstrated steady leadership and a deep understanding of the technical requirements of operating a northern airline,” Thomlinson said.

“He has also been instrumental in ensuring that key milestones were achieved during the recent merger of First Air and Canadian North Inc.”

Domloge also held senior roles at Air Transat and other aviation organizations prior to joining Canadian North in 2008.

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(14) Comments:

  1. Posted by More to this story on

    Seems to me like there’s significantly more to this story. A CEO doesn’t suddenly resign for no reason and with very little publicity… hope Nunatsiaq can get to the bottom of this

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  2. Posted by Long Shot needs to be remembered on

    just like More to this story said. More info is nice and no one will understand until they understand. Exactly like the significance of the info that Chris suddenly left or had to leave. Hope for better Canadian North days… hope all is well Chris.

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  3. Posted by Ronald P. O’Brien on

    A number of post graduate aeronautical science and project management programs around the world currently use Canadian North as a case study example of a dysfunctional organization.

    Significant corporate issues ranging from institutionalized sexism, openly tolerated employee harassment, and clearly incompetent supervisors and managers has resulted in some of the highest employee turnover of any North American airline.

    Outdated training programs, lack of communication, a lack of appropriate management focus, and an inability to identify priorities and assign appropriate resources greatly impacts the efficiency and capability of Canadian North as an airline.

    Human resources’ refusal to address the toxic workplace environment constantly drives the most qualified employees to seek careers elsewhere.

    Highly trained professionals should not be expected to work for unqualified amateurs.

    It is time for new management, but change must also take place throughout the entire organization.

    The people of Nunavut deserve better, and Canadian North’s employees deserve better.

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    • Posted by Andrew Patey on

      Beautiful night for skydiving Isn’t Ron ?

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    • Posted by Artic AME on

      Pretty much nailed it.

  4. Posted by Lise Dolen on

    First Air went bankrupt yet their leadership took over after the merger. That never did make sense to me.

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    • Posted by Ronald P. O’Brien on

      Lise,

      You make an exquisite observation!

      Despite 30 years in the aviation industry, and having worked all over the world, many things I have witnessed at Canadian North make no sense to me.

      Before any further government support is provided to this company some fundamental issues must be examined and appropriately addressed.

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      • Posted by Amplify this voice please on

        Ronald, I would encourage you to write an article about this issue and submit it to Nunatsiaq news as a guest commentary or letter to the editor. Your observations here are important and need to be brought into public consciousness.

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      • Posted by Fact-Check on

        First Air didn’t go bankrupt! They purchased the Canadian North name, and everything that came along with it. They merged the workforce, and the fleet. Selling the former Canadian North Dash 8 fleet, and investing further in the former First Air ATR42 fleet.

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    • Posted by Violet on

      Correction> First Air NEVER went bankrupt, they acquired a bankrupt airline in the merger. Legacy Canadian North was the one with financial problems and First Air was dumb enough, because of their poor leadership, to take them over. First Air was a great airline until they merged with Canadian North.

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    • Posted by Brenda Lucki on

      First Air didn’t go bankrupt. Get your story straight.

      Brenda

  5. Posted by Frustrated on

    When the 2 airlines merged I had concerns. They have completely turned Canadian North upside down. I feel sorry or their staff who take the front line frustrations of customers.

    Movement or non movement of freight is unacceptable. I personally have four pieces about 300 lbs and I have been told it will take a month from Iqauuit to Igoolik. Parts needed by companies can take up to a month. We can do nothing because they are among poly.

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  6. Posted by Flyer on

    With millions of dollars given to this airline by our GN we should know whats going on, this position is critical for the company.

  7. Posted by Truestory on

    Now watch the airline monopolizing the north again. Guess them office pogues love their bonuses like Peter Adamie.

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  8. Posted by Northern Baffin on

    thats what happens when you live in a government economy, if it was a consumers economy, it would be different.

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