Ottawa police are investigating after a man showed up at an Air Canada executive's home holding a handgun Wednesday night.

A private security guard confronted the man around 9:50 p.m. outside the home of Air Canada vice-president Duncan Dee, CBC News has learned.

The man threatened the guard and then fled. No one was hurt. Ottawa police are still searching for the gunman but do not know his identity.

Ottawa Police spokesman Const. Henri Lanctot confirmed they received a call from a home on Annapolis Circle about a suspicious man who appeared to be in possession of a gun. But Lanctot would not confirm the identity of the homeowner and would say only that police have yet to find the suspect.

Dee has been Air Canada's chief spokesman during the airline's current contract dispute with its unionized flight attendants. He had a security detail with him as an extra precaution, because of the continuing dispute.

Dee was appointed executive vice-president and chief operating officer in April 2009 with oversight for all of Air Canada’s operations and customer service areas.

Strike threat quashed Wednesday

The airline and the Canadian Union of Public Employees have been involved in protracted, and at times bitter, contract disputes for the last three months. The union has negotiated two contracts with the company but flight attendants have rejected both.

With the threat of a strike looming, the federal government referred the dispute to the Canada Industrial Relations Board, which will determine whether some services need to be maintained to prevent an "immediate or serious danger to the safety or health of the public."

While the board reviews the issues, flight attendants are not allowed to strike and management is not allowed to lock out workers.