The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, issued this statement today to mark International Civil Aviation Day:
“As Canada’s Minister of Transport, it is my pleasure to mark International Civil Aviation Day. International civil aviation brings people together from all corners of the globe. Today, we celebrate our strong collaboration with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and our other global aviation partners.
“As a founding member and leading contributor to ICAO, Canada has been the proud host country for more than seven decades, and we are fully committed to its success. We value our longstanding relationship with ICAO and are honoured to host it in Montréal, the world’s civil aviation capital.
“International Civil Aviation Day was established in 1994, as a part of ICAO’s 50th anniversary, to promote the global socio-economic benefits of international civil aviation. Twenty-five years later, we take this opportunity every year to celebrate our collective accomplishments and look forward to the future.
“The theme for International Civil Aviation Day in 2019 is 75 Years of Connecting the World. As we mark ICAO’s historic 75th anniversary, we can look back at some of our joint achievements this year.
“This fall, Canada hosted the 40th Session of the ICAO Assembly in Montréal, Québec. We welcomed over 2,400 delegates to define ICAO priorities for the next three years, in support of safe, secure, efficient, and environmentally sustainable growth in global aviation. As part of ICAO’s Next Generation of Aviation Professionals initiative, we have also been working with Canadian aviation industry members to address the aviation labour shortage, and are working with under-represented groups and Indigenous communities to promote careers in aviation.
“As we approach a new decade in 2020, we will continue working closely and innovatively with our global aviation partners to advance civil aviation in Canada and around the world.”