But I guess it’s not idiotic when the Canucks use “track bar is alive” or “VNAV is alive”?
From Transport Canada:
Standard Calls General Other than as noted in this subsection and the next one that deals with altitude, no additional calls to those described in the "General" chapter are required during the Initial/Intermediate Approach phase. To reduce the likelihood of overshooting a desired track during any arrival procedure the PNF should warn the PF as follows:
i) When approaching a track which will be followed using primarily the track bar display, on initial movement of the track bar away from full deflection with the warning flags out of view, the PNF should call "Track Bar is alive." The PF should confirm the movement and say "Check."
ii) When approaching a track which will be followed using primarily a bearing display, the PNF should warn the PF when the display indicates that the aircraft is 10o away from the desired track. For example the PNF would call "10 degrees to 140", where 140o is the desired track. The PF would confirm the bearing and call "Check."
iii) To reduce the likelihood of overshooting a desired vertical path during the Initial/Intermediate Approach phase, the PNF should warn the PF as follows:
a) When approaching a VNAV computed descent path on initial movement of the vertical path indicator away from full deflection with the warning flags out of view, the PNF should call "VNAV is alive." The PF should confirm the movement and say "Check."