Air Canada “abandoned” Quebecers by eliminating essential regional connections, and this, after receiving a public loan of nearly $ 800 million, deplores the political class. Several elected officials are now dreaming of a major Quebec air carrier.
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“If Air Canada abandons the regions, it is time for Quebec to abandon Air Canada. It takes a Quebec alternative to serve the regions of Quebec, ”thundered the interim leader of the Parti Quebecois and MP for Matane Pascal Bérubé. The elected official is directly affected with the closure of the Air Canada counter at Mont-Joli airport.
The list of complaints against the “national carrier” is long. He is accused of his non-respect of French and the failure to reimburse flights canceled during the pandemic.
The abandonment of a series of regional routes on Wednesday is, however, the last straw. Air Canada evokes the context of the pandemic, but some closures are permanent, denounces MP Bérubé.
A heavy blow
This decision will have economic, tourist, and even medical impacts. “It sends a very negative message about access to our regions,” deplores Mr. Bérubé.
The solidarity deputy Vincent Marissal agrees. “They behave like bums. They decide they cut the line, well they cut the line without consulting, “he denounced.
Like the Parti Québécois, Québec solidaire believes that the Québec government must reflect on regional transportation, damaged by the cuts from Orléans Express, VIA Rail and now Air Canada.
“There is a trauma with the failure of Québecair in the 1970s and 1980s, but we have to ask the question today,” said Mr. Marissal.
It takes a carrier from here
The mayor of the Magdalen Islands, Jonathan Lapierre, also deplores Air Canada’s “irresponsible” decision.
He too is considering the creation of a regional carrier: “It is absolutely essential that we come to hold our independence in terms of transport in the regions,” he said.
On the Legault government’s side, the office of the Minister of Transport, François Bonnardel, pointed out, in an email exchange, that “most regions are served by regional carriers other than Air Canada, including Pascan, Air Creebec or Air Liaison ”. Mr. Bonnardel declined the interview request from the Journal.
Quebec announced last summer a $ 22.5 million regional airline assistance program, then $ 40 million in the aftermath of the pandemic, as well as a $ 100 million program to modernize airports. regional.
But the cuts by Air Canada will have a considerable impact on these facilities, warns Pascal Bérubé. “Airports live on the presence of counters. Air Canada, which is withdrawing, is a very hard blow, ”he said.
—With Kathryne Lamontagne
Air Canada Abandoned Connections in Quebec
- Baie-Comeau – Montreal
- Baie-Comeau – Mont-Joli
- Gaspé – The Magdalen Islands
- Gaspé – Quebec
- Sept-Îles – Quebec
- Val-d’Or – Montréal
- Mont-Joli – Montreal
- Rouyn-Noranda – Val-d’Or
Complete end of the following stopovers
- Gaspé
- Baie-Comeau
- Mont-Joli
- Val-d’Or
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