Mr. Speaker, since February, western Canadians have been given the opportunity to fly at bargain basement prices. While West Jet fights the competition in the skies, this Liberal government has launched an attack from the ground.
On March 22 the fledgling West Jet was forced, at great expense, to comply to a so-called Transport Canada safety rule written years ago. All airlines operating in western Canada were forced to give safety instructions in both languages.
Three air carriers asked for one-year extensions. Transport Canada refused. "If you do not have flight attendants with French language capabilities, hire them or get sound equipment," came the edict.
If the urgency was all about safety, why was it not important enough to be implemented when it was first drafted six years ago? Did the flying public request the second language rule? No, it came from the police of official languages here in Ottawa.
A pilot from Transport Canada informed me this week the edict had nothing to do with safety.