News
Air Canada pilots elect new officers
Oct. 25, 2012, Toronto - Air Canada pilots have chosen new officers to lead their 3,000-member association.
October 25, 2012 By Carey Fredericks
Effective January 2013, Captain Craig Blandford will become President of the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA). He will represent Air Canada's pilots to media, governments and public agencies, other pilot associations and employee groups, as well as a range of external stakeholders.
Captain Blandford joined Air Canada in 1998, following 20 years of service in the Royal Canadian Air Force. A native of Springdale, Newfoundland but now a resident of Winnipeg, Captain Blandford has served his fellow Air Canada pilots for many years as a volunteer and elected representative in the Association, most recently as Chair of the Pension Committee. He is a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada.
Captain Geoff Wall was elected Chair of ACPA's governing Master Executive Council (MEC). In addition to presiding over meetings of the MEC, the Chair is responsible for administration of the contract between the Association and the airline, as well as dealing with any issues arising between Air Canada and its pilots.
Captain Wall joined Air Canada in 1998, following 12 years of service in the Royal Canadian Air Force, where he flew the venerable Sea King helicopter. A native and resident of Barrie, Ont., Captain Wall served his fellow Air Canada pilots for the past 11 years as an ACPA volunteer and elected representative. Most recently, Captain Wall represented approximately 1,850 Air Canada pilots as the Local Executive Council Chair of the Toronto base.
Captain Chris Cox was elected Secretary-Treasurer, serving as the Chief Financial Officer of the Association, responsible for ACPA's budget, assets and financial affairs.
Captain Cox has been involved with ACPA for more than a decade, formerly serving as Vice-Chair of the Toronto Local Executive Council and on the governing Master Executive Council, as well as Editor of the Association's internal publication, the ACPA Journal. He is a resident of Halifax.
The term of Captain Wall as MEC Chair ends December 2013. Captain Blandford and Captain Cox will serve until December 2014.
