On Metro Morning this morning, Andy Barrie was utterly sceptical in his interview with McQueen, even guffawing when he dragged out organ transplants ("You always do that…."). He used a clip of me saying if Porter wants it , it should pay, and there are lots of higher priority items for public money.

The tripartite agreement prohibits construction of a vehicular tunnel, not a pedestrian one. McQueen’s right on that one

This is all about the Tory government, and its majority on the TPA board, throwing its weight around to help their friend Robert Deluce, CEO of Porter. The TPA has no sense of accountability to the people of Toronto, who want their tax dollars spent on the City’s priorities, not Mr. Deluce’s.

Deluce and Porter have been the recipient of millions of tax dollars – from the $20 million given to him as compensation for not being able to start an airline, when the bridge was cancelled, to the $15 million spent to buy the first new ferry and build its terminals. We now hear that even his planes were purchased with financing from the Export Development Corporation, an arm of the federal government, established to assist Canadian manufacturers to export their products.

No more public money – or public assets – should handed over to Porter.

One also must wonder what the anticipated return on investment might be for this facility. If there was any market-level return, surely Porter would be financing it itself.

Porter should relocate to Pearson, where it would compete on a level playing field.

Brian Iler, chair
CommunityAIR