Neo con Tories & Grits threaten cities

Two new bills would endanger the flying public and give port authorities infrastructure funds intended for cities

By Frank Touby –

Both the Harper Tories and the Dion Tories (masquerading as liberals) are backing legislation to let airlines regulate themselves regarding safety measures and to let port authorities have federal infrastructure money.
The first bill, C7 would endanger the public because airlines (private businesses, after all) can’t be trusted to put safety over profits.
The second piece of proposed legislation (C23) would permit port authorities (such as Toronto’s much-despised port authority pork barrel) to gain access to the same pool of money that goes to municipalities for infrastructure needs such as transit and the like. They would be able to apply for those funds and thus reduce the amount municipalities would receive.
MP Olivia Chow has been spearheading what little parliamentary resistance that can be mustered. She says the issue is off the radar to the public because of media attention to Iraq and the scandal situation surrounding the Rightly Despised Brian Mulroney.
I spoke to her recently and that 10-minute interview is available on this link.