Saskatchewan NDP pushing for premier’s intervention in air travel industry

It’s been a frustrating several weeks for passengers trying to get to and from Saskatchewan.

Air Canada recently suspended flights to Calgary out of Saskatchewan, weather and scheduling problems created flight debacles across the continent during the holidays, and Sunwing recently announced rounds of major cuts to its service in Regina and Saskatoon.

Now, the Saskatchewan NDP has sent a letter to Premier Scott Moe “demanding” action on the problems with air travel in Saskatchewan.

The letter said air travel is crucial to the province’s economic well-being and “it is imperative that you as Premier vigorously defend all economic interests of Saskatchewan, regardless of the political interests you may hold.”

NDP Leader Carla Beck asked in the letter for Moe to detail in his response how he has and will work with airlines, municipalities, airport authorities, impacted industries, economic organizations and relevant federal leaders.

“If Scott Moe really wants to stand up for Saskatchewan, he’d get airlines, mayors, industry, economic organizations, airport authorities and the federal government in a room and hash out a fix — yet he’s been largely silent. We’re losing critical economic lifelines that connect Saskatchewan to the rest of the world,” Beck said in a media release.

‘Limited tools’

Minister Jeremy Harrison said the provincial government is very concerned about what’s been happening with airlines in Saskatchewan.

“We very much recognize the importance and significant of reliable and convenient air travel into our province both economically for business and also social and for quality-of-life issues,” Harrison said Friday.

Harrison is Saskatchewan’s minister of trade and export development as well as the minister of immigration and career training, the minister responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan, and the minister responsible for Tourism Saskatchewan.

He said the provincial government has been getting input from chambers of commerce, large employers in the province, and big and small companies.

“Particularly (flights) into U.S. destination hub cities, that really is for them, I think, the biggest issue,” said Harrison.

The minister said this isn’t a helpful issue to have, but added it’s not insurmountable.

In these situations, Harrison said it’s important to remember that air travel is 100 per cent under the federal government.

“As a provincial government we have very, very limited tools — regulatory or otherwise. Those are all in the purview of the federal government,” said Harrison.

As such, Harrison said the province has been strongly encouraging the federal government to work on ensuring air travel levels in Saskatchewan to make sure the province is appropriately served.

“We really are expecting and hoping that they are going to use their authorities, as the regulator, to move forward on that, and we’re fully prepared to be a partner in those discussions about what optimal outcomes would be for the people of this province,” said Harrison.

The minister said the province is continuing to be an advocate and looking at what it can do, including speaking with the airport authorities on an almost daily basis. Harrison didn’t get more specific about what the province could do, but did say he could have more to say on that in the future.

Harrison said this is a serious issue and he doesn’t see it as political, but when asked to comment on the NDP’s letter to the premier, Harrison pointed to the federal responsibilities for the airline industry and the support deal the federal NDP made with the governing Liberal party.

“The Sask. NDP should be demanding (federal NDP Leader) Jagmeet Singh make this a top issue of Justin Trudeau and I suspect that has not happened,” said Harrison.

When asked about that question, the Sask. NDP said it is “willing to advocate with any federal leader when it comes to the interests of Saskatchewan.”