Capt. Jacques Gendron (Air Transat) is the chair of Canadian Pilot Assistance, which provides confidential guidance and aid to Canadian members facing personal and/or professional challenges that could affect their job performance.

ALPA’s Canadian Pilot Assistance, a component of the Association’s Air Safety Organization (ASO) Pilot Assistance Group, provides confidential guidance and aid to Canadian members facing personal and/or professional challenges that could affect their job performance. Air Line Pilot recently sat down with Capt. Jacques Gendron (Air Transat), an Airbus A321 pilot and the Canadian Pilot Assistance chair, to ask about the organization he leads and the services it provides.

Air Line Pilot: Tell us a little bit about your background as an airline pilot and union volunteer.

Capt. Jacques Gendron: I began my aviation career back in 2005 as a janitor for Perimeter Airlines. I eventually worked my way onto the ramp, becoming a ramp lead, and later progressed to the airline flight deck as a Metro 2 first officer. At that time, I flew mostly medevac operations, transporting the sick and injured in remote locations to places where they could receive medical care. However, I also flew scheduled operations.

In 2008, I moved to Jazz Aviation where I remained for six years. I flew the Dash 8-100 and -300, eventually upgrading to the CRJ100, 200, and 705. In 2014, I went to work for Air Transat flying the A310 and A330. I’m currently a captain on the A321neoLR.

Within my first two years at Jazz, I became involved with Pilot Assistance, handling a variety of responsibilities. Having these many experiences helped prepare me to serve as the Air Transat Master Executive Council (MEC) Pilot Assistance chair nine years later. Then, during the summer of 2023, I was appointed the union’s Canadian Pilot Assistance chair. In this capacity, I now support ALPA’s more than 12,000 Canadian members.

Why is there a separate Pilot Assistance structure for ALPA’s Canadian members?

Gendron: The short answer is that although many of the disciplines covered by the Canadian Pilot Assistance Group mirror those of ALPA’s U.S. Pilot Assistance, the need for a separate organization becomes more apparent when you consider the tremendous differences in the U.S. and Canadian aviation environments.

We fly aircraft ranging from single-engine props to heavy jets. We land on everything from ice strips on frozen lakes in the Arctic to busy runways at major international hubs. Our operations are governed by Canadian aviation regulations under the direction of Transport Canada. Our cultures are diverse, our needs are dynamic, and our Pilot Assistance Group has been established with all this in mind. We want our Canadian members to feel comfortable knowing that their leaders understand their world.

Due to these inherent differences, ALPA’s Constitution and By-Laws outlines the establishment of a Canadian Pilot Assistance Group, developed in cooperation with member pilot groups to serve as a specialized occupational health program to address the concerns of Canadian airline pilots (Article XXII).

Supplementing this policy, ALPA’s Administrative Manual (Section 85, Part 15) outlines our code of confidentiality and the necessary qualifications and training to hold a position within the group. It also highlights the following five responsibilities:

• “To provide peer support to fellow pilots who have lifestyle problems;
• To act as a referral agent in directing the pilot to the appropriate professional resource;
• To hold the entire matter in the strictest of confidence;
• To be aware that the constructive purpose of Pilot Assistance can easily be defeated through inept use of its prerogatives. In this light, extreme tact, discretion, and restraint must be used; and
• To be aware that no records are kept. By exercising these responsibilities, they will allow their fellow pilots to link with the resources they need, and in doing so help to maintain the high standard required of the piloting profession.”

How is Canadian Pilot Assistance organized and who handles the different responsibilities for the various disciplines?

Gendron: Prior to the pandemic, Canadian Pilot Assistance was organized as a “one-stop shop.” Pilot volunteers were cross-trained and adopted a jack-of-all-trades mentality. Since then, the rapid growth in Canadian membership has compelled ALPA to shift its focus and develop a network of subject-matter experts to ensure we offer an equal level of service to all our members.

Our union now represents more than 95 percent of all Canadian airline pilots. To adequately address this increase, Canadian Pilot Assistance has worked closely with ALPA leaders to ensure we’re accessing all the available resources to make the most of the services we provide.

I’m the Canadian Pilot Assistance chair, and Capt. Isabelle Caron (Jazz Aviation) and Capt. John Potter (WestJet) are the vice chairs. Together, the three of us oversee the activities of the group and assigned coordinators manage the specific disciplines.

While there has been some recent turnover among them, these coordinators oversee our Pilot Peer Support, Critical Incident Response Program (CIRP), Aeromedical, and ALPA Canada Pilot Recovery Program.

Although the structure and function of our group will evolve as the nature of pilot demands change, our organization remains flexible to respond to new needs as they arise. My fellow volunteers and I owe a great debt of gratitude to our predecessors who established the foundations for much of the work we do.

Tell us about the Canadian Aeromedical Support Program.

Gendron: ALPA’s Canadian members have access to the Canadian Aeromedical Support Program (CASP), which is specifically tailored to help pilots comply with Transport Canada regulations and reporting requirements. Through CASP, ALPA’s Canada aeromedical advisor is available for direct telemedical consulting through a self-scheduling portal at www.pilotmd.ca.

There’s no cost to our members as consultations are covered by membership dues. Appointments are virtual, allowing you to schedule times regardless of your location. You may use this service to ask CAT 1 medical certification questions or issues related to complex medical dossiers with Transport Canada Civil Aviation Medicine.

CASP is a service provided by Canadian Pilot Assistance but isn’t a replacement for your personal civil aviation medical examiner. For example, CASP can’t prescribe or refill prescriptions.

It’s important to remember that there’s a mandatory requirement for pilots in Canada to self-report health conditions that may impair their ability to safely perform their flight crew duties. In addition, physicians/optometrists are compelled to report individual pilots to Transport Canada if they feel a threat exists to public safety, and pilots must let their physicians and/or optometrists know that they hold medical certificates.

Does Canadian Pilot Assistance need volunteers?

Gendron: Always! As the CIRP coordinator says, “We might be ALPA’s best-kept secret, but we shouldn’t be.” ALPA’s Canadian ranks continue to grow; and with this expansion, there’s a need for greater participation in our union. That’s particularly true for Canadian Pilot Assistance.

Where can ALPA members find contact information and learn more about Canadian Pilot Assistance?

Gendron: Speak to your local council officers. You may have Canadian Pilot Assistance volunteers within your pilot group who can talk about their experiences. Be sure to visit our dedicated webpage. You can also e-mail me if you have questions.