Air transportation is important to Canada and Canadians.
Air transportation is important to our region.
I was pleased recently to be appointed transportation critic for our NDP caucus.
As critic I will be fighting hard for improved airline service, affordability and safety.One key element is passenger rights. After many years of debate and discussion Canada now has brought in specific passenger rights for everything from delayed luggage to cancelled flights.It is telling that almost immediately after passenger rights were brought in some of the major companies in the airline industry are now trying to have it or overturned in court.
I have urged the minister of transport to stand up for Canadian passengers instead of bowing to the demands of powerful airline companies to change many of the provisions within the Passengers’ Bill of Rights. Instead of properly defending the rights of Canadian passengers and upholding the Passengers’ Bill of Rights, the federal Liberal government deferred the airlines’ case to the courts.
We should be improving the bill instead of allowing powerful airline companies to further undermine the rights of Canadian passengers. We need to do more to protect Canadian passengers. The government must respond more strongly to this appeal and defend the rights of Canadian travellers.
The airlines’ appeal began in the summer of 2019 and was followed by a motion to suspend some of the Passengers Bill of Rights’ provisions in December. It is time to take the threat to passengers’ rights seriously and act accordingly.
The Liberal government has the responsibility to stand up for the rights of Canadians and against these big airline companies.
Deferring the airlines’ appeal to the courts without showing the will to fight for Canadians is the wrong way to go.
Canadians needs passenger rights.
Canadians deserve better.
