People who have read this column, or who know me, knew I was a flight attendant here in Smithers for many years for a now defunct airline called Hawkair.
Since it was a local airline, the staff all lived here and worked from the Smithers base. As a group of people who wanted to make a go of our little airline, we cared a great deal about the community members we served.
Each and every passenger we had we appreciated and valued, as we knew, they had a choice. We not only worked on the planes, but we worked in the community attending hockey games, ski hill functions, musicals, all kinds of functions giving out tickets, and basically being the “marketing department” for our little airline.
All of us enjoyed the people and experiences and growing the business we cared so deeply about. We got to know so many of you personally, knew your stories, whether you were flying off for medical appointments, to film movies, to share world famous artwork, or to take a much needed holiday. You were our neighbours and friends and we cared
We carried famous people, sports celebrities, actors, musicians, artists, and yes even once the vice president of the United States (and his men in black that never took off their sunglasses, making me laugh like crazy). My point? Everyone was equally important in our eyes, and we treated everyone with the same friendly warmth we became well known for.
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Why is all of this important to me? Because one member of our community recently experienced alleged racist remarks and behaviour by an employee of Air Canada while boarding a flight in San Francisco. This absolutely infuriates me.
This member of our community flew on so many of my flights while he was working very hard to make a name for himself, perfecting his artistry and sharing it all over the world. I loved to ask where he had been on his latest trips, and he always made me smile.
As a community, you know him as Alex Cuba. Yes, world-famous, Grammy-winning, Alex, who has his mural on a street corner in Smithers, and who shared his Grammy win with a community-wide block party.
Alex is as genuine in his love for this community, as all of us are in our love for him and his many accomplishments.
I am ashamed and completely appalled at how Alex was treated on his recent flight. Even more so after learning there has been no apology or reaching out from Air Canada. It is disgusting.
I would feel the same for any member of our community being treated by an air crew member in such a manner. I know racism is out there in all manner and forms, but in this day and age, people really should be more enlightened than past generations. Or remember the “golden rule,” if you can’t say something nice, keep your mouth shut.
Alex Cuba, on behalf of all the air crews and staff members that had the pleasure to have you onboard our flights at Hawkair, we truly value the support you gave us, and there are many of us who are going to return the favour of support to you by expressing our outrage to Air Canada in writing. I hope members of the community will do the same.
As Alex said in the last line of his post on FaceBook…”People, let’s keep Canada Beautiful.”
deb.meissner@interior-news.com
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