RE: ”If Porter fails then immediately the airport would begin to lose millions of dollars a year. It is very unlikely that any federal government will be willing to subsidize the Island Airport in the future to the tune of millions, especially if the major users are a number of private planes” (Can Porter and the Island Airport survive the recession? 26Mar09)

Don't get your hopes up too soon! I felt the same way when City Express bit the dust in the 80’s. Then we witnessed
a veritable boondoggle of publicly funded developments at the island airport all intended to keep it there:

- Transport Canada plowed millions into airport infrastructure including a new tower.
- A concerted attempt was made to dismantle the tripartite agreement whereby the “fixed link” was thrown out, and millions in public funding set aside for a bridge. These funds (and more) eventually found their way into Deluce’s pocket to jump start yet another commercial airline, sugar coated with a new ferry.
- Backroom maneuvering at the Federal level incredibly left the city (and its citizens) burdened with millions in tax liabilities related to the island airport that were clearly the responsibility of the Feds.

Meanwhile the island airport which keeps losing millions yearly (it has never been profitable!) continues to operate at the behest of the public purse. The airport operating parameters set down in the tripartite agreement are violated regularly. What can one make of all this? It appears there are forces at work here that have little regard for the tripartite agreement, and even less regard for public money. Yet, outrageous as it is, they prevail with impunity. Unless and until we understand these forces and from whence they come, this absurdity is bound to continue.

David Wilson