In the News: Transport Canada Allows Small Blades on Airplanes

Transport Canada decision to allow blades on planes incurs wrath of Quebec politicians, Angelica Montgomery, CBC News, 2017-11-22.

In a nearly unanimous vote, Quebec’s lawmakers have passed a motion asking the federal government to review Transport Canada’s decision to allow finger-length blades onto most of the country’s airplanes.

The federal Transportation Department announced that, starting next Monday, knives with blades six centimetres in length or less will be allowed on Canadian flights, with the exception of those destined for the U.S.

The new directive bans “Knives with blades of more than 6cm.” This rule is apparently recommended by the European Union. Is this a reasonable rule? Or, on the other hand, in the Canadian context, is it a religious accommodation aimed at courting the votes of religious communities in general and practising Sikhs in particular?

See also:

• TP 14628 E – Prohibited Items List, Transport Canada, 2017-11-07.
• Couteaux dans les avions: les agents de bord sont inquiets (Knives on airplanes: Flight attendants concerned for their security and for passenger security), Guillaume St-Pierre, Journal de Montréal, 2017-11-23.