That’s What She Said, Air Canada strike, Caribana vs Caribbean Carnival

14 June 2011 No Comments

By Darling Nicky

Ground Canada?

“I guess technically, airline service work is not an “essential” service. Or is it? Frequent fliers must think so.” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter.

An airline without Customer Service agents is like a Burger King with no order takers. If the strike by Air Canada Customer Service agents that officially started at midnight (June 14, 2011) when negotiations between the agents’ union and the airline failed to result in a mutually satisfying agreement lasts too long, Air Canada may become known as Ground Canada.

The whole panic that I saw ensue online at the looming strike of Canada’s largest airline got me thinking about what services we could live without, if for whatever reason they were unavailable to us. As much as flying has become a part of normal bulk transportation, people could still get around by train, bus, or ship providing that arrival time was of little consequence. We know that we can’t survive without health care workers, police officers, fire fighters and manicurists. (Oops, those are essential, right?)

Listen, I don’t know about you – but those Customer Service agents are very significant to the overall flight experience! After all, they are the ones that will encourage you to open up your bag right there at the luggage check-in to shift around those 5 extra pounds in order that you don’t have to pay for an extra piece of checked luggage, and they also have a really good time massacring your name – to the point where I actually had to check to see if the passport they were holding was still mine!

“I really hope Air Canada resolves this thing quickly, otherwise there will be a lot of disgruntled Super Elite Members. #milehigh #jussayin” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

#thatswhatshesaid

What’s In a Name?

“Today, the case brought by The CAG to prevent the FMC from proceeding with the former #Caribana festival will be seen by ON . Supreme Court.” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

A few weeks ago, when word got out that the name of the festival so lovingly known as “Caribana” by North Americans would now be called “Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto”, people scratched their head, laughed at the new mouthful, and carried on preparing for the annual Caribbean festival that takes place on Simcoe Weekend here in Toronto.

While the FMC (Festival Management Committee) appears to be doing whatever it takes to save the festival, the founding group, now known as the CAG (Caribbean Arts Group) have a case strong enough to fight the use of the name, the concept and even the weekend that the festival takes place on; that a another date (today June 14, 2011) was set by a judge to hear the rest of the case for an injunction.

While from a legal perspective, they may very well have a strong case, from a cultural standpoint – this discord about the largest North American festival that celebrates Caribbean culture is very defeating. At a grassroots level, the 15 participating Mas Bands in the city are in full throttle, having all launched their costumes, and are now in production mode. So…what exactly are tens of thousands of masqueraders supposed to do with their beautiful costumes if there is no festival? Where else am I going to see Toronto’s finest dancing on the sidelines in full uniform? Where else is a woman going to be surrounded by visiting American tourists and featured on random YouTube videos entitled, “My Caribana was the bomb.com”?

This festival, formerly known as “Caribana”, now known as “Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto” is not just a huge economic stimulus for the city; it is something that Caribbean residents here in the GTA take pride and ownership in because it celebrates the beauty, and culture of a people who love life, and want to share that with the World.

Besides, don’t you want to eat a roti with 1.4 million other people ‘pon di side ah di road?

“On behalf of #Carnival enthusiasts - you could call it “Winin’ on Anyting”, and move it to Bowmanville - festival still needs to happen.” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

#thatswhatshesaid

Darling Nicky is an entertainment writer, blogger and publicist. Check out her out at www.darlingnicky.ca