If events
unfold as expected, this column will appear after Prime Minister
Paul Martin has named his new cabinet, including one post that
matters here -- transport minister. Yet, even motorists in Ottawa’s
increasing gridlock may not care a whit who heads the Transport
Canada. That bureaucracy is hardly a well-known quantity for most
urban commuters. Air travellers may be equally unaware, now that
airport authorities are free to gild their terminals as they see
fit. David Collenette held the post of transport minister for ages
under former PM Jean Chrétien, and left politics after Martin
cleared the decks of his predecessor’s officer corps.
Collenette
presided over the devolution of the air industry -- and I say that
as a compliment -- toward one where the traveller is asked to pay
more of the cost of flying. Other may fault Collenette for
protecting Air Canada from foreign competition, but under the
Liberals, taxpaying citizens are less likely to underwrite airports,
air traffic control and other costs. The former minister was also
criticized for a bias toward rail, or at least VIA Rail -- and not
favouring road-based travel. This after he restored funding to the
national passenger rail system, which was heavily pruned under Brian
Mulroney.
Though far
removed from the concerns of everyday commuters and professional
drivers -- the federal government did try to comprehend the screwed
up state of transportation in this country. I never bothered to
follow the travails of various round-tables, of blue ribbon panels
writing white papers -- but I respected the attempt to reconcile the
conflicting needs of road, rail, air and water movement. It’s not
surprising that the transport market is still badly distorted -- the
intricate mess is nearly impossible to comprehend.
The reality on
the ground and behind closed doors is continued subsidy to all kinds
of national infrastructure, as well as to private companies that get
the ear of Liberal insiders. Remote airports, roads and ports remain
dependent on federal government aid, and so-called have-not
provinces may still extract millions for new highways. Ontario has
scored little in the way of road repair moneys, even though great
lengths of the Trans-Canada Pothole-way pass through this giant
province.
In their
attempts to get more construction funds from Ottawa, anti-tax and
other special interest groups made little progress in the Chrétien
years. Industry lobbyists did much better, and without scrutiny,
will continue to do so. Whether it be aircraft, train or automobile
manufacturers, private industry seems to have an able hand on the
money spigot. Citing foreign government largesse, transport builders
can wring hundreds of millions in tax concessions or outright gifts
from national and provincial legislators.
Reforming the
transport sector will take more than circular tables lined with
well-meaning experts and earnest advocates. Skewed priorities and
dubious handouts will continue, and possibly become more Byzantine
in a minority-ruled Ottawa. An astute and brave transport minister
can make some headway however. Using existing provisions in federal
law, he or she should be obligated to examine the state of subsidy
in Canada’s sprawling transport sector. That means potentially
goring some sacred cows, whether they be steamship companies or the
“national” airline. The rail and automotive sectors should propose
full transparency as well. Opposition parties must be fearless,
admitting to the subsidies granted their supporters, even as they
expose Martin’s favoured industries.
The
Conservatives, especially, can be constructive here. Support for the
free market led them to criticize election handouts to vehicle
builders, but what about ongoing subsidies to petroleum interests?
And as car-driving Post readers have heard me say before, does it
make sense that government-run roads are more sacred than
single-payer health care?
Ed Drass,
National Post
Email the
Traffic Guru at edrass@nationalpost.com