Evidence of meeting #35 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was information.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:25 p.m.
Bloc
12:25 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Industry Association of Canada
American Airlines or any other carrier would transport its Canadian passengers to Cuba or Mexico.That wouldn't be from Montreal or Ottawa.
Mr. Desjardins comes from New Brunswick. We were with his brother last summer. He moved to Bangor, Maine. He told me he had driven five hours to take advantage of a cheaper flight.
12:30 p.m.
Bloc
12:30 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Industry Association of Canada
Currently?
12:30 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Industry Association of Canada
For us, it's—
12:30 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Is that related to ADM, to the fact that that airport is not very operational?
12:30 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Industry Association of Canada
It is the cost structure of flight in Canada right now that is making us uncompetitive.
12:30 p.m.
Board of Directors Member, National Airlines Council of Canada
Let me quickly answer that. It's all publicly available on the Plattsburgh website. They are a debt-free airport. There was $100 million spent to change it from a military base to a commercial airport. The runway is about 13,500 feet, made of concrete; it's about 200 feet less than the longest runway at Pearson. They can handle huge aircraft.
On their website they're quite clear that because they are debt-free as a result of the direct funding they have received from the federal and state governments, they can offer landing fees to air carriers that can't be matched in other locations.
12:30 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Why do people go there rather than leave from Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport? Is that related to the fact that it isn't operational?
12:30 p.m.
Board of Directors Member, National Airlines Council of Canada
It's entirely due to cost.
The cost of Dorval, the cost of security at Dorval, the cost of maintaining the buildings at Dorval, the extra costs associated with airport rent in Canada--all of this compiles. In the U.S. your security charge is $2.50, and in Canada your security charge is $17. Just the security charge for a family of four is something like $100.
12:30 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Imagine that Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport moves and flights are aligned on a north-south access. Do you think that would help recover the clientele that's going to Plattsburgh?
12:30 p.m.
Board of Directors Member, National Airlines Council of Canada
That might help, but the fact remains that the problem is entirely due to cost.
12:30 p.m.
Board of Directors Member, National Airlines Council of Canada
If it's cheaper in Plattsburgh, people will go there.
12:30 p.m.
Board of Directors Member, National Airlines Council of Canada
Perhaps a bit, but it's ultimately a question of cost.
12:30 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
That's an interesting point.
Do I have any time left, Mr. Chairman?
Ms. Des Rosiers, based on the study that we conducted on the no-fly list, whether American or Canadian, the information provided is based in large part on a racial profile. Is that correct?
12:30 p.m.
General Counsel, Canadian Civil Liberties Association
Definitely. That's one of the issues. Furthermore, the information that supports access to the no-fly list, especially the American list, is sometimes obtained through torture. The entire process of the lists as instruments of protection against terrorism is at risk. The United Nations has appointed an ombudsman to review the list. It is recognized that the mechanism of the list is itself a problem. It has accomplished nothing but has definitely caused some serious problems in the areas of justice and equity for individuals who did not know how to get out of it. The information that would enable them to show that their names should not appear on the list is not provided to them.
It's in those circumstances that all these lists are being challenged and are considered as a poor instrument. That's our proposal—
12:30 p.m.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
You've been flying over the U.S. for, what, 50 years?
12:30 p.m.
Board of Directors Member, National Airlines Council of Canada
We've only been in existence for 14.
12:30 p.m.
NDP
12:30 p.m.
Board of Directors Member, National Airlines Council of Canada
Yes, it's been well over.
12:30 p.m.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
Has any incident happened on a plane overflying the United States?
