Halifax International Airport  Mr. Speaker, it is not only the minister's letter. There is a signed letter, a signed agreement, signed by the director of airports divestiture that says: “Transport Canada agrees to continue to be responsible for pyritic slate runoff existing prior to transfer date”. It is very clear and very simple.

Halifax International Airport  Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transport. Under the access to information program, we received a letter written by the minister to the Halifax International Airport Authority dated July 22, 1998. It outlined the terms of the agreement to take over the airport. One of the sentences the minister used in his own letter is: “This offer confirms Transport Canada's intent to assume liabilities for the current pyritic slate mitigation program”.

Minimum Sentences  Madam Speaker, I rise as a follow-up to a question I asked on October 21, a long time ago. A lot of things have happened in the aviation industry since then but my question is still valid. My question on October 21 referred to a report written in 1993 and that report is still valid.

Airline Industry  Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transport. Just a little while before InterCanadian closed its doors on Saturday it faxed a letter to the Minister of Transport. The letter was from the president to the minister and it said: “The simple fact is that InterCanadian simply cannot continue to withstand the continuously changing position of the government”.

Air Transportation  Mr. Speaker, contrary to the minister's answer, the president of InterCanadien Airlines wrote the minister two days ago and said, “This is to inform you that InterCanadien has now reached the final desperate condition that we have been openly warning you about for many months”. He went on to say “InterCanadien considers that its current condition and its anticipated closure are direct and predicted consequences of the actions and omissions of the federal government ministry's agency”.

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, it is certainly appropriate that the minister talked about safety inspections, because yesterday we talked about the worn out Sea Kings, the rusty Auroras and today we find out that both of the Hercules planes failed when they went to East Timor. Hon. members should listen to the problems: faulty brakes, damaged windows, cracked tailpipes.

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister of defence. First, we had a series of weaknesses in the Sea King helicopters that embarrassed the Canadian air force. We then had the Hercules aircraft that took four attempts to get from A to B. Now a private contractor has discovered that our Aurora aircraft are so corroded they can only fly at one-third of their design altitude.

Airline Industry  Mr. Speaker, I thank the Prime Minister, but that was not the question. The question was, did he discuss it with the chief of staff? In general, does the Prime Minister think it is appropriate for a business person to go to his office to seek advice and direction on how to deal with two ministers, in this case the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Industry, before he even talks to them?

Airline Industry  Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister. Yesterday in the Senate transport hearings, Kevin Benson, the president of Canadian Airlines, acknowledged that he was a de facto lobbyist for the Onex proposal and that when he wanted to suspend the Competition Act he went directly to the Prime Minister's office and talked to the Prime Minister's chief of staff.

Airline Industry  Mr. Speaker, the quote is “prior to launch” it wants those confirmations. In yet another peacock memo dated July 29, there is a statement that says, “Onex has already been assured that the Government of Canada will grant a special executive order under section 47 of the Canada Transportation Act to suspend merger review under the Competition Act”.

Airline Industry  Mr. Speaker, in a privileged and confidential Onex memo about project peacock, dated August 16, 1999, Onex laid out the rules. It said that prior to launch Onex would want confirmation of political support, including the removal of the 10% ownership limit from the Air Canada Public Participation Act.

Airline Industry  Mr. Speaker, I think my question is quite appropriate for the Deputy Prime Minister. On the Onex notes under issues, risks, political, it discusses the need to change legislation in order to remove the 10% voting ownership restriction. It says “Seeking to do so may result in serious political debate in the House of Commons.

Airline Industry  Mr. Speaker, one of the very troubling statements in Onex confidential memorandums is a reference to a meeting with the Prime Minister's chief of staff, Jean Pelletier. It goes on to say because “he could advise us of the best time to approach both the Minister of Transport and the Prime Minister's Office”.

Airline Industry  Mr. Speaker, let me read another line. “Another key player is the Clerk of the Privy Council, Mel Cappe. Mel Cappe will make the final changes at the deputy minister level and knowing our plans may influence his choices”. I want to know, did the Clerk of the Privy Council become involved in any way?

Supply  Mr. Speaker, the member said that the number one issue on people's minds was whether the process was fair. On August 13 the minister announced a 90-day window of negotiation during which he would receive proposals to restructure the industry. On day one the law of the land was and still is that the maximum that anybody could own of Air Canada was 10%.