Airport authorities have a mandate to be economic engines for their community, and their mandate says “thou shalt be self-sufficient”, which they are, but they also add to Ottawa's coffers. If you're going to introduce a major competitor between Quebec City and Montreal on to Toronto, through Kingston or whatever, you have to give that airport authority and our industry, I think, some time to prepare. The best way to prepare is to eliminate the cost that the government imposes on the aviation sector. Eliminating the airport rent, eliminating the air travellers' security charge, will go a long way towards allowing us to compete. If those charges stay in place, it's going to be extremely difficult for any airport authority, especially on smaller routes, to be able to stay in business.
On June 2nd, 2009. See this statement in context.