After the Assembly of First Nations害羞草研究所� national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
害羞草研究所淚t must have been a generic response,害羞草研究所� Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said in an interview, calling the entire experience 害羞草研究所渉umiliating害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渦nbelievable.害羞草研究所�
Woodhouse Nepinak said in a social media post Thursday (April 25) that her headdress and its case were taken away and put in a garbage bag.
She clarified Friday the case was removed from the flight, but she was able to hold her headdress throughout the trip after pleading with staff.
Air Canada said in a statement Friday morning that it reached out directly to Woodhouse Nepinak to apologize and 害羞草研究所渂etter understand害羞草研究所� her experience. It added it is also following up on the matter internally and reviewing its policies.
During the flight from Fredericton to Montreal on Wednesday, the national chief said an Air Canada staff member approached her and said: 害羞草研究所淵ou can害羞草研究所檛 have that in here.害羞草研究所�
Woodhouse Nepinak said she told them she wouldn害羞草研究所檛 part with her headdress.
Still, the crew took it and its case and put garbage bags around them, she said, before she managed to convince them that her headdress should be taken back out.
Photos Woodhouse Nepinak posted online show the case covered in a clear plastic bag, with staff members hauling it on the tarmac to be loaded under the plane.
害羞草研究所淚 was kind of stunned at that moment,害羞草研究所� she recounted.
害羞草研究所淭here was lots of Canadians trying to help me in that moment and realizing they shouldn害羞草研究所檛 be handling my items like that.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭his was a mistake that I know Air Canada is looking into right now,害羞草研究所� Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said about the incident during an unrelated news conference Friday in Bromont, Que.
害羞草研究所淚t is an unfortunate situation that I hope is going to lead to a bit of learning 害羞草研究所� not just by Air Canada, but a lot of different institutions.害羞草研究所�
Trudeau said the Truth and Reconciliation Commission害羞草研究所檚 94 calls to action should prompt industry and Canadians to be responsible partners who have a sense of understanding about the cultural importance of items such as this.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh told reporters in Toronto that he met with Woodhouse Nepinak by chance at an airport in Montreal shortly after the incident, and she shared with him how she felt 害羞草研究所渄isrespected.害羞草研究所�
He said he supports calls from the national chief for a policy to ensure a situation like this never happens again, and added there are 害羞草研究所渇ar too many害羞草研究所� examples of Indigenous Peoples being disrespected.
The grand chief of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Alvin Fiddler called the ordeal 害羞草研究所渟hameful.害羞草研究所�
And Cody Thomas, the grand chief of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations, said he is 害羞草研究所渄eeply concerned and disappointed.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚t is essential that employees are educated about the diverse cultures and traditions of the passengers they serve to ensure that such incidents are never repeated,害羞草研究所� Thomas said in a statement.
Air Canada said it is looking to learn from the 害羞草研究所渞egrettable incident害羞草研究所� and ensure 害羞草研究所渟pecial items such as this害羞草研究所� can consistently remain in the cabin with travellers.
害羞草研究所淎ir Canada understands the importance of accommodating customers with items and symbols of sacred cultural significance,害羞草研究所� the statement says.
害羞草研究所淚n the past the chiefs have been able to travel while transporting their headdress in their cases in the cabin, but this time the case was difficult to carry in the cabin due to stowage space limitations on the Dash-8 aircraft.害羞草研究所�
Woodhouse Nepinak called her headdress one of the highest honours First Nations peoples can receive, noting it害羞草研究所檚 not something that can just be purchased in a store.
害羞草研究所淲hen I wear it, I害羞草研究所檓 representing and speaking for our people,害羞草研究所� she said.
害羞草研究所淭aking it out there (on the plane) and having all these different people handling it 害羞草研究所� that害羞草研究所檚 not the way we handle our items. 害羞草研究所� It害羞草研究所檚 a respect thing.害羞草研究所�
Asked why she decided to speak publicly about the incident, Woodhouse Nepinak said this situation isn害羞草研究所檛 one she wants to be in, but 害羞草研究所淐reator put it on my lap to go through, and I害羞草研究所檓 walking through it hoping that we come out of this better.害羞草研究所�
She said she spoke with the president and CEO of the airline on Friday morning and told him they need to do better, including by appointing a First Nations person to their board.
She also wants them to have cross-cultural training for staff.
Woodhouse Nepinak said she expects to meet with Air Canada again about the saga and is inviting the person who made the headdress for her to come along.
Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
