Marc Garneau may impose mandatory drug and alcohol testing for pilots

Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau said he is willing to take action to impose mandatory drug and alcohol testing for airline pilots.

After speaking at the Fit to Fly workshop in Gatineau, Que. Wednesday, Garneau was asked if he was willing to force the issue of random testing.

“We’re going to see how the outcome of this workshop goes,” he responded. “And if we make a decision we will be mindful of all of the issues such as the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and privacy issues.”

Garneau summoned unions, medical experts and members of the airline industry to the Fit to Fly workshop after two high-profile incidents in the past year involving pilots who were charged on suspicion of being drunk as they were about to fly a plane.

READ MORE: Drunk pilot who appeared to pass out in cockpit sentenced to 8 months in jail

The most recent case involved a Sunwing pilot who drank a bottle of vodka in his hotel room before his flight and was so impaired he appeared to pass out in the cockpit. Miroslav Gronych, a Slovakian national, was escorted off the plane in Calgary on Dec. 31, 2016 and pleaded guilty this past March of having care and control of an aircraft while he had a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit.

WATCH: Sunwing passengers speak out on pilot accused of being drunk

2:10 Sunwing passengers speak out on pilot accused of being drunk

In a separate incident last July, two Air Transat pilots were charged on suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol just prior to takeoff on a trans-Atlantic flight from Glasgow to Toronto.

“I’m going to take advice from the stakeholders here this morning, the pilots the airlines the health specialists –so I wouldn’t jump to any conclusions at this point. This is a blue sky fulsome discussion and I think that’s a healthy thing to have,” Garneau told Global News.

John McKenna of the Air Transport Association of Canada said he would support random alcohol and drug testing for pilots. He says it would improve “safety and the perception of safety.”

“We support it.  We think it’s something that should be allowed voluntarily or otherwise,” said McKenna, who represents the regional air carriers across Canada.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We support it.  We think it's something that should be allowed voluntarily or otherwise," said McKenna, who represents the regional air carriers across Canada.

READ MORE: 2 pilots on Air Transat to Toronto arrested for allegedly being drunk before flight

First Air Vice President of Flight Operations Aaron Speer cautions that random alcohol and drug testing is not a catch-all solution.

“From a personal point of view I think there is probably 10 per cent of the people that have issues of some sort. I’m not sure it’s just drug related or alcohol related. If there are emotional issues that are there, testing won’t catch those people,” Speer said during a break at the workshop in Gatineau.

WATCH: Two Air Transat pilots arrested on suspicion of drunkenness

1:28 Two Air Transat pilots arrested on suspicion of drunkenness

“Drug testing, I guess, will capture people at random but if I can build an environment where anyone is actually willing to come forward with those issues or identify them, then we get more bang for our buck,” Speer said. “Everything is an evolution.  The laws have changed over time, just like public opinion over different things has changed over time as well. I see no reason why it may or may not change. Whether there is a need for that is up for debate.”

The Fit to Fly workshop continues all day Wednesday.