Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jun 28/00) - Talks between members of the Air Canada Pilots Association and Air Canada are scheduled to resume today (Wednesday). Earlier this week, pilots rejected Air Canada's offer. Air Canada pilots, without a contract since April 1, are now in a position to strike at anytime after 72 hours notice.

In the North, flights on First Air and Canadian North are not effected. But if there is a strike, First Air travellers connecting with Air Canada flights could be affected. A First Air spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

Canadian North spokesperson Michael King said regardless of what Air Canada's pilot's do, travellers with NorTerra-owned Canadian North or Canadian Airlines tickets flying on a Canadian Airlines plane won't be affected. Although Air Canada recently acquired Canadian Airlines, pilots of the two airlines belong to separate unions. And Canadian North pilots are part of the same union -- the Airline Pilots Association -- as Canadian Airlines.