Mr. Speaker, my question is a supplementary to the question asked of the Minister of Transport. I direct my question to the very distinguished Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport.
Last summer the Minister of Transport announced that there was a crisis in the aviation industry. Not many people knew that, but he announced there was a crisis and therefore, by his very announcement, it was determined that there was a crisis. We went through a whole lot of turmoil, debate and negotiation.
As a result of the announcement that there was a crisis in the industry, the transport committee held endless meetings almost around the clock hearing from people in all facets of the aviation industry: air traffic controllers, pilots, the airlines companies and ticket agents.
At that time we were told that there was no crisis in the industry, that there was a crisis in a company in the industry. It completely proved that the department and the minister were wrong in their interpretation of the situation. As we know, it went on and on.
In any case, we ended up by adopting the dominant carrier structure that we have now, with Air Canada having virtually 80% to 85% of the entire industry totally under its control.
The minister recently tabled legislation that would help control the situation and provide protection for different parties in the aviation industry both from the consumer's point of view and from the industry's point of view.
I would like the parliamentary secretary to provide us with the position of the government on ownership restrictions as far as foreign ownership goes, restrictions as far as maximum ownership by any one single party.
What protections are there for the regional airports? All the airports in Atlantic Canada are really suffering now because of the reduction in flights, reduction in revenues from landing fees and terminal fees. What protection is there for those airports?
What protection is there for consumers who are already feeling the bite of the added burden on Air Canada? Flights have been discontinued and cancelled. It has created chaos in the airports.
What protection is there for employees that are affected by this? What protection is there to guarantee that there will be competition against the dominant carrier in this one line dominant carrier structure?
Would the parliamentary secretary please enlighten us as to the position on those items?