Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the minister a question in his capacity as an economist. He is saying to the House on the $24 tax that whether it is a long haul flight or a short haul flight, the cost of security is still the same.
If we buy the argument that the cost of security is still the same because it is going through the same security people, as an economist what is his prediction as to how this will affect people flying a short haul distance as opposed to long haul distance? The cost of the ticket will be increased by a much larger percentage on a Regina to Winnipeg flight than on a Vancouver to Toronto flight for example. As an economist, when there is that kind of increase, which would be a considerable percentage increase, what kind of a slowdown does he predict we will see in traffic on short haul flights?
I think of the small airports such as Grande Prairie, Alberta and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan where many flights are extremely short haul, where a $24 tax on a return ticket can be well over 10% or 12% of the ticket. However if there is a $24 tax on a ticket from Vancouver to Toronto return, it is only 1% of the cost of the ticket.
What is his projection as to the impact on travel for short haul flights if this tax remains in effect for a year at the $24 rate? I know he will say that it will be reviewed in the fall but let us assume it will stay in place for a year. What will be the impact on short haul travel as opposed to long haul travel in this country and the impact on some of the small airports?