Mr. Kang: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Calgary is now the fourth-largest city and its airport is the third busiest in the country. 

The airport is expanding, and we need to provide for growth around it. The deadline for commitments from the federal and provincial governments for the Calgary International Airport tunnel is approaching, and after March 1 without those commitments the deal is dead.

To the Minister of Transportation: why are you killing any chance of Calgary having this necessary airport tunnel by not providing any support, sir?

Mr. Ouellette: Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is absolutely wrong again today. We supply all kinds of support to the city of Calgary. This is a municipal, local road, and the municipal district of the city of Calgary should be making their priorities on what they do with the money we give them on what roads they plan to build.

The Speaker: The hon. member.

Mr. Kang: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The city of Calgary already committed $50 million, and the airport authority committed $40 million. This issue is a provincial one, not just one for the city of Calgary. This government should be looking at the issue from this perspective, not running away from it.

To the minister again: why isn’t the government treating this vital tunnel as an issue of provincial importance?

Mr. Ouellette: Mr. Speaker, this hon. member knows that every single issue in the province is an issue for this government, but there are ways of handling the issues. I can’t run out and try and find money on a tree somewhere to start supporting areas that are not my responsibility.

The Speaker: The hon. member.

Mr. Kang: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just as it would improve Alberta’s competitiveness for the federal government to open up the Calgary airport to more flights from overseas, so too would it improve Alberta’s competitiveness to have an airport that is fully accessible to the whole city of Calgary and the whole of Alberta.

Why is the minister unable to see the competitiveness incentive behind this?

Mr. Ouellette: Mr. Speaker, I also have to tell the hon. member that he’s into another area that’s not my jurisdiction. Other airlines’ open skies agreements are the full purview of the federal government. They regulate who is allowed to fly into this country, province, wherever you want to call it. I’ve written letters to that minister agreeing that Alberta would love to have open skies and bring more people and allow other airlines to fly into Calgary and to fly into Edmonton so that we have more competitive rates for all of our constituents.

Alberta Hansard, February 24, 2010

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