Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, I suggest the hon. member put this question to Mr. Schwartz and the other representatives of Onex in committee tomorrow.
House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2000, with 67% of the vote.
Air Transportation November 1st, 1999
Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, I suggest the hon. member put this question to Mr. Schwartz and the other representatives of Onex in committee tomorrow.
Air Transportation November 1st, 1999
Mr. Speaker, I have already answered this question.
On August 23, the representatives of Onex and Canadian informed my department of their intention to put forward a proposal on Tuesday. Air Canada did the same six weeks ago.
That means that Air Canada and Onex are treating our government with the same courtesy.
Supply October 28th, 1999
Madam Speaker, do I take it from what the hon. member for Kings—Hants said that he is in favour of bank mergers and against airline mergers?
The best advice we have is that any change in the 10% rule will not abrogate any of our NAFTA commitments. The Alberta legislature did away with the 10% rule on Canadian Airlines last year because of course the parent was PWA, a creature of the Alberta legislature.
The Competition Bureau will indeed very much be at play in whatever happens. It will be looking at the merger in the normal way.
I remind the hon. member that the government was faced with three scenarios in July: a bailout of Canadian Airlines; a potential failure of Canadian Airlines; or finding some other way, imperfect as it may be, to find a proper solution.
Supply October 28th, 1999
Madam Speaker, I have two questions for the member. First, he talks about a lack of policy, has he read the policy framework that I deposited in front of the committee the other day?
Second, is he suggesting that we should have said that we would not consider raising the limit? I submit that if we had said that we would have been accused of bias by eliminating one of the proposals that will be considered by shareholders.
Supply October 28th, 1999
Madam Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his last comments, in the best of parliamentary spirit, wishing all of us well. This is a very difficult file and it does have ramifications for travel throughout the country. How we handle this will define who we are as a country and a people as we go into the 21st century.
I was in and out of the chamber, for which I apologize because I missed some of the hon. member's remarks, but I was led to believe that he made a statement to the effect that I have said that the 10% limit is to be raised.
What I said at the committee the other day for the public record is that the government is prepared to consider raising the limit of 10% if, and only if, there is an interest that will be pursued in improving the airline industry. In other words, if it improves the viability or the stability of the airline industry then we would consider it.
I think what we are doing is in the best of parliamentary traditions. We are consulting MPs. We are having a debate today. I welcome the debate as well because I think it has been a very good debate.
I hope the hon. member did not unintentionally mislead the House with his statement a few minutes ago.
Air Transportation October 28th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, I repeat, I was informed on June 26 by the president of Canadian International Airlines that he had found an investor for the company and that it was the intention of this investor to merge the two airlines. He identified the investor as Onex.
I said a few minutes ago that, on the day before the Onex proposals were presented, my officials were informed, out of courtesy. This is common practice.
Air Transportation October 28th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the implication in the question by the hon. member is an insult.
Air Transportation October 28th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, I already told the House that Mr. Benson himself informed me on June 25 that he had found an investor who intended to merge the two air carriers, and that this investor was Onex.
Air Transportation October 28th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, there were meetings with Air Canada and Canadian International Airlines. It was public knowledge that Mr. Benson, Canadian International Airlines' CEO, had begun looking for investors. That was common knowledge. I imagine that, during the discussions, I alluded to something which was in the public domain.
Air Transportation October 28th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, there was no promise from the Canadian government. I said the same thing yesterday.
With all due respect, I suggest that the hon. member put his questions to Mr. Schwartz at the committee meeting next week.