No sign yet of promised Indigenous-designed Canadian North uniforms

Airline has been working to redesign uniforms since last July; deadlines have been pushed back multiple times

There is no sign yet that Canadian North is close to unveiling new uniform designs that it announced last summer. (File photo)

By Jorge Antunes

There is no sign yet of when Canadian North will release new uniform designs it said eight months ago it would adopt to reflect “reconciliation and empowerment.”

The airline announced in July 2023 it would redesign its staff uniforms to pay homage to Inuit and Indigenous cultural histories and modern-day style that reflects reconciliation and empowerment.

As well, the airline was seeking Indigenous suppliers of name tags, ties, scarves and other accessories “proudly reflecting and connecting to Canadian North’s Inuit roots,” according to a company news release from the time.

At the time, the goal was to award a contract for the contract by Aug. 25, 2023.

Nunatsiaq News has made repeated requests since December for updates on the status of the redesigned uniforms.

“I confirmed the team is continuing to work on it and is making progress,” said Kelly Lewis, senior adviser for executive and office strategy for Canadian North, in a Feb. 23 email to Nunatsiaq News.

Nunatsiaq News contacted Canadian North again on March 6 but the airline was unable to provide an update.

Inspiration for the redesign stemmed from former CEO Michael Rodyniuk and chairperson Johnny Adams attending the Northern Lights Conference and trade show in Ottawa in February 2023.

Canadian North issued an initial request for proposals, seeking bidders interested in taking on the project, with a deadline to respond by July 14, 2023.

The airline extended the deadline to Aug. 10, 2023, with a plan to award the contract on Aug. 25 that year. The deadline was extended again, this time to Dec. 31, 2023, with the contract expected to be awarded Jan. 22.

At that time, Canadian North said it expected to receive the new designs and uniforms from a supplier by March 4.

In December 2023, Shelly De Caria was named CEO of the Inuit-owned airline after taking over from Rodyniuk on interim basis in October.

It’s not known if the change in leadership had any bearing on the plan to introduce the new uniform designs.

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(17) Comments:

  1. Posted by Feet to the fire on

    Good job following up on this, Nunatsiaq. More of this kind of thing please, especially government promises and huge money poured into “studies” … there’s so much that goes unchecked and unaccounted for.

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  2. Posted by Inuk from Nunavik on

    I notice , on flights between YVP – YUL , no beer for sale anymore , , i always bring plenty of toonies and loonies for that occasion .

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  3. Posted by Andy on

    I’m not surprised, it matches their flight delays.

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  4. Posted by lol on

    Fuel down but prices up,

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  5. Posted by If I Were a Betting Person on

    Hmmm, anyone want to bet that they’ve realized that nametags, scarves, and other accessories are all made in China and that there are very few cost-competitive indigenous Canadian manufacturers, if any at all?

    I’ll lay odd that they’ll go like Manitoba Mukluks and take the ‘indigenous designed’ but made in India or somewhere path.

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  6. Posted by Kitikmeot Resident on

    No sign of Canadian North coming to Taloyoak all week. They’ve been bypassing and leaving the community out of their travels.

    We need Buffalo Airways to start up scheduled flights in the Kitikmeot Region. Maybe then will CN start flying here…..doubt it though.

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  7. Posted by Canada-Greenland flight has also yet to materialize on

    It’s also worth noting that this new Canada-Greenland route they announced hasn’t materialized. It was set to open in June but looks like that’s not happening either.

    • Posted by northerner on

      Just went on google flights and saw a route being run by Air Greenland, Iqaluit to Nuuk direct starting in June for $1860 return. I assume Canadian North not running the route

      • Posted by Northerner on

        No monies on that route , unless the government functionaries and consultants flying back and forth.

        • Posted by Route still not posted on

          I emailed both Canadian North and Air Greenland. They both responded that the route isn’t possible to book and they don’t know when it will be, only ‘sometime this year.’ Off to a great start.

  8. Posted by Mit on

    After pushing back the deadline three times, i wonder how many indiginous designers actually submitted designs?

    Wonder how many indigenous “suppliers of name tags, ties, scarves and other accessories” there are out there?

    Sounds like Michael Rodinyuk had all the right intentions but needed a solid dose of reality.

  9. Posted by no competititon on

    more broken promises.
    what happened to the bigger plane, full configuration for kuujjuaq to montreal?
    Oh yeah, i forgot, there is no competition.

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  10. Posted by JOHNNY on

    No competition allowed , this is ”PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF NUNAVIK ”.

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  11. Posted by 20 Cope Drive on

    Making promises that they are absolutely unprepared to deliver on seems to be a key trait of Canadian North executives.

    As a new hire, I became a bit disillusioned when many of the promises that were made to me during the hiring process turned out to be untrue. At that time a long time employee said “You do realize that the IATA airline designation 7F stands for “seven fibs”.

    Those who have worked for, or who have done business with Canadian North have learned to expect to be disappointed.

    Former employees, and former customers have moved elsewhere after being misled far too many times. No surprise that a Canadian North press release has not resulted in a promise that was later not delivered upon.

  12. Posted by Flyer on

    I am more concerned that they are maintaining these 25 plus year old 737s properly, all the delays, either no staff, baggage service or mechanical, I’m not sure about the rules here for maintenance procedures for these 737s for Canadian it it always makes me nervous getting on these older planes.
    The company how they do things don’t help either. I wish we could get another competing airline up here even just for the regional hubs.

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    • Posted by Nunavut AME on

      The constant turnover of aircraft maintenance technicians with Canadian North is both perplexing and concerning. The fundamentally dysfunctional management results in those who are most valuable and most reliable taking jobs elsewhere. Often the only people remaining are those who would not be hired anywhere else. I am shocked by the high number of former Canadian North employees that I meet all across Canada who describe their time at Canadian North as a soul destroying experience.
      Many of the decisions regarding maintenance policy, planning and production are made by people who lack the education, training and experience that would allow them to make informed decisions. The sexism that is openly tolerated in the hangar has driven many of the best employees away, leaving a poorly performing group of misfits who are best used as an example of how not to maintain aircraft.
      It is particularly distressing to hear current Canadian North aircraft maintainers openly admit that they are ashamed of the company they work for, and are ashamed of many of the people that they are forced to work with.

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  13. Posted by Putting this out there on

    They are waiting for the right Potato company.

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