For Immediate Release
December 11, 2020
YQR Suffering “Death by a Thousand Cuts”, Says MP Kram
Michael Kram, Member of Parliament for Regina-Wascana, condemned the federal government’s lack of support for Canada’s airports after the Regina Airport suffered yet another blow to local service.
Kram was responding to an announcement today by Flair Airlines that it was suspending service until at least March.
“This comes on the heels of suspended service by Sunwing, reduced service by Air Canada and proposals by Nav Can to close YQR’s air traffic control tower. It seems like our local air service is being gradually whittled down to nothing,” Kram said.
Kram pinned the blame for the reduced service on inaction by the federal Liberal government.
“I first raised this issue in Parliament in June, at which point I was told that a federal plan to provide pandemic relief for airports was imminent. I raised it again in July and was told the same thing. Again, in October and November, we were told airport relief was just around the corner. While the Liberals procrastinate, airports across the country are slowly dying.”
“Compare this to the situation in the US, where a substantive airport relief package was announced in April. Canada’s relative inaction has been the story of the Liberals through the pandemic. They dither on medical supplies. They dither on rapid testing. They dither on vaccines. And now their dithering is undermining our national transportation infrastructure.”
Kram reiterated his support to the recovery plan advocated by the Canadian Airports Council, which calls on the government to provide permanent elimination of ground leases, substantive loans and bond guarantees (similar to what has been offered in the US) and a special plan to support smaller airports that provide vital supplies to rural and remote areas.
“The airport plan is an essential first step but there is more to be done. The government also has a duty to ensure the stability of the Canadian economy by finding solutions for the collapse of the nation’s airports and airlines.”
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For more information, contact:
Nigel Sharp
Constituency Assistant for MP Michael Kram, Regina-Wascana
nigel.sharp.659@parl.gc.ca
306-585-2202