New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh says the holiday travel woes that left thousands of passengers stranded at airports or struggling to find flights home show why there should be more competition in CanadaB次元官网网址檚 airspace.
He says the lack of choice for passengers is also making flying less affordable, and heB次元官网网址檚 calling on the Liberal government to find ways to make the airline industry more competitive.
The Canadian Transportation Agency requires domestic air service operators to be majority-owned and controlled by Canadians, limiting options for travellers B次元官网网址 especially in rural or remote areas.
Over the holidays, hundreds of people were stranded in Mexico when Sunwing cancelled flights, and the airline has stopped flying from Saskatchewan entirely until next month.
Air Canada is discontinuing flights from Saskatoon and Regina to Calgary this month, after it discontinued flights from Yellowknife to Edmonton last year.
Singh says he wants the CEOs of both companies to answer questions at a future transport committee meeting, but that Transport Minister Omar Alghabra should also ensure thereB次元官网网址檚 better oversight.
B次元官网网址淲e need to make sure people have access to being able to get around the country, and that it is affordable,B次元官网网址 Singh said Wednesday.
B次元官网网址淎nd right now, for many people, it is not at all. ItB次元官网网址檚 something we need to look at and find solutions for.B次元官网网址