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Air Transportation

Question period focused on air travel costs and the government’s review of major airports. Conservative members asked whether the transport minister’s approach would raise ticket prices, citing his weekend comments about airport privatization and partially regulated fees, and pressed him to say whether flying would stay affordable for families. The Liberal minister responded that fees currently charged through airfares for airport improvements are unregulated and said the government intends to regulate those fees.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

6 statements

Dan Albas

Conservative

Linked statement

“Selling our airports will make flying too expensive for families. I want the transport minister to tell us if he is doing this just to make his party's friends rich.”

  • Opposition question in Question Period

    Respect 83 of 100

    This statement targeted a person rather than their actions or views: “is he selling our airports just to enrich Liberal insiders and friends?”.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, on TV this weekend, the transport minister gave a master class in dodging simple questions. When asked if airport privatization will hike prices, he said he could not say no. He actually promised partially regulated fees. If a pilot announced that the landing gear was partially working, nobody would fly, and under this government, soon no one will be able to afford to. The Liberals are out of touch and costing Canadians more. Is the minister so out of touch that he thinks a partially regulated price hike is a bargain for families, or is he selling our airports just to enrich Liberal insiders and friends?

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Steven MacKinnon

Liberal
“Extra fees on plane tickets are making flights too expensive. Airports are charging travellers for upgrades, and no rules stop them. We plan to set rules to control these fees.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 100 of 100

    Of this answer, 100% addressed the question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we intend to regulate those fees that show up on airfare tickets that cause prices to spike. In fact, those fees are going up as we speak. As airport facilities get improved, capital investments get made and those costs get passed on to travellers in the form of airport improvement charges. They are unregulated today. We intend to regulate them.

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Dan Albas

Conservative
“Air travel is getting more expensive, and the government is adding new fees instead of lowering prices. I want the minister to admit he has failed to keep flying affordable for regular families.”

  • A repeated line

    “The Liberals are all talk and no results.”

    Said 13 times by 12 members since September 21.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it has been 11 years, and it is getting worse all the time. In fact, the minister’s dodge ball routine in the House might win him points with the Prime Minister, but every time he ducks, the Canadian taxpayer behind him takes the hit. Canadians asked for lower airfares, not a new Liberal surcharge on visiting grandma. The Liberals are all talk and no results. Our Conservative plan is to save Canadians money. Which is it? Is the minister going to admit he has completely given up on keeping air travel affordable for families, or does he just want to turn our airports into a country club for the wealthy and elite?

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Steven MacKinnon

Liberal
“I already answered the question. These fees are not regulated right now, and we plan to regulate them.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I know the member’s leader writes the questions, but he really should listen to the answer and kind of make an adjustment after he hears the first answer. I just told him those fees are currently unregulated. We intend to regulate them.

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Gérard Deltell

Conservative
“The Minister of Transport wants to privatize four airports, and he said he cannot promise ticket prices will stay down. I want the minister to give a clear answer: will passenger fares go up or not?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we in the Conservative Party want to help Canadian taxpayers save money, but the Liberals are coming up with new ways to get money out of people’s pockets. In an interview on CTV on the weekend, the Minister of Transport, the one who wants to privatize four airports, said he cannot guarantee that passenger fares will not increase once the airports are privatized. Could the Minister of Transport be clear? Will passenger fares go up or not?

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Steven MacKinnon

Liberal
“Airlines already charge fees to pay for airport upgrades, and these fees are not regulated right now. We plan to put rules in place to regulate them.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 47 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, as part of the ongoing process, we have discovered that there are indeed fees in the current system, including funds for airport infrastructure improvements, that are recouped through airfares, prices and flat rates. This is not currently regulated. We fully intend to subject these types of fees to regulation.

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