Meeting with Minister Baird – DENIED
OTTAWA – MP Alex Atamanenko (BC Southern Interior) was informed Wednesday by Ministry of Transport officials that a meeting Atamanenko was trying to organise between federal Transport Minister John Baird, Gord De Rosa (City of Trail Councillor) and Quentin Smith, President of Pacific Coastal Airlines, was denied by the Ministry.
“This is very unfortunate,” said Atamanenko. “Trail Regional Airport needs to remain viable and operational during the 2010 Olympic Games with Pacific Coastal’s scheduled flights to Vancouver. The community has worked extremely hard to support their airport and build an excellent working relationship with Pacific Coastal,” he said. “There is great concern that the proposed extended service stoppage during the Olympics for speculated security reasons will be a hardship to the residents and bad for business, specifically the tourism sector.”
“I am still confident that Minister Baird will keep with the spirit of our Olympics and make the decision to provide the Trail Regional Airport with the required CATSA screening,” said Trail City Councillor Gord De Rosa. “An interruption of our proven, reliable air service into the Trail Regional Airport would negate the once-in-a-lifetime economic boon the Olympics will deliver the whole of this province.
“Premier Gordon Campbell, upon announcing the 2010 Olympics in BC, directed that we prepare ourselves to deliver the world to our communities, showcasing the more remote regions of our beautiful province,” said De Rosa.
“To have that opportunity now taken from us would be a contradiction,” he added.
Atamanenko, De Rosa and Smith were hoping to drive home the point with federal Transport Minister Baird at their upcoming meeting, now cancelled.
Rossland Mayor Greg Granstrom went further.
“There were overtures made to the Russian biathlon team about the possibility of using the upgraded cross-country ski trail here for pre-Olympic training,” said Granstrom. “I am not sure if this would hinder their consideration of this or not. It certainly won’t help.”
“This sends the wrong message to such Olympic teams, and others who want to spend more time here,” said Atamanenko.
“Many people will be going to the Olympics in Whistler, but many people will also be looking for a place to recreate and ski. Transportation links for those people to Interior communities are vital if we are to help share the Olympic spirit,” added Granstrom. “I hope the Minister will appreciate this. The Trail Regional Airport has become a significant economic driver for the City of Rossland and the whole area.”
Griff Welsh, Chair of the Trail Regional Airport Committee, commented that up to 10% of the airport’s operating budget could be lost over the period of the proposed shut-down during the Olympics.
“We could shut down, but we still want to meet the needs of medivac, organ transplant, blood sample and other medical flights,” said Welsh.
“This loss may end up having to be covered by property taxes. This is not what we had in mind to celebrate the Olympics.”
Atamanenko has, for months, lobbied Conservative cabinet ministers with letters and meetings, as an advocate for Pacific Coastal flights between Trail and Vancouver during the Olympics. Pacific Coastal Airlines currently provides quality air service to Trail and vicinity.
“I am baffled by the Minister of Transport’s refusal to meet and discuss the efforts put forth by Pacific Coastal Airlines and the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary in their attempts to continue servicing the Trail Airport,” concluded Atamanenko.
Tags: olympics