Mr. Speaker, communities all across Canada are suffering from decreased air service over the past several years due to the elimination of a national carrier and a reduction in routes.
Many local and regional airports have been forced to cover the cost of the federal government's downloading and pass on the costs directly to passengers in the form of service fees. These fees are in addition to the Liberal government's multibillion dollar airport security tax grab that forces passengers, including children as young as two years of age, to pay $24 on round trip tickets.
In Windsor, Ontario the airport authority is considering charging a $10 service fee to all passengers to help cover the financial losses due in part to a decrease in air travel since September 11. This charge would be an additional $34 for a round trip ticket for people flying from Windsor.
These unfair taxes are hurting Canadian families, the already struggling airline industry and communities across the country dependent upon the economic activity generated by local airports, and they should be removed immediately.