Mr. Speaker, perhaps a small airport, yes. We are all very familiar with the activity at Abbotsford with the big air show.
I reassure my friend that it is the intention of the government to facilitate the devolution of operations for airports to communities across the country. We will probably encourage them very aggressively to do that.
I want to indicate that the operating budgets for smaller airports generally speaking should be manageable. We do recognize that the capital investment is not always possible. It is very difficult to raise capital. It is very difficult to find sufficient capital to be able to do the things that are required to maintain the levels of service at airports.
We want to be very even handed about it. We have said that with respect to Pearson and other large airports across the country. We want to be consistent. It is our philosophy to look at the wide range of options from government operated airports all the way out to privatization.
I suspect that we will be recommending a form of local authority with some degree of accountability. Where individuals from the community who best know their needs manage those airports in a form of relationship with the Government of Canada that will respect the interest of the Canadian taxpayer, we intend to do that very soon.