26 August 2009 - Toronto Sun

As a political power play, the proposed pedestrian tunnel to the Toronto City Centre Airport is a beauty.

Mayor David Miller won the first battle, stopping the bridge to the island while winning the 2003 election, and he won't change his stripes on the airport. Ever.

So now the Toronto Port Authority is putting the political screws to him -- and sidestepping the contentious local debate altogether at the same time -- by directly asking the federal government for $19 million in infrastructure fund cash, and Queen's Park for $12 million for the tunnel.

While many politicians -- including federal Infrastructure Minister John Baird -- are more than happy to leap at any opportunity to zing Miller, saying no is the right response this time.

There are other, more important priorities in Toronto.

Our roads are crumbling, our sewer system is in desperate need of repair, our subway stations are stuck in the dark ages, just to name a few.

And, whether you like it or not, we did elect Miller as our mayor. Deciding on priorities is what our elected representatives are in place to do.

City council shouldn't have the ability to shut down the airport, but when federal infrastructure funds are being allocated for the city, our local politicians must have at least a say in where the money goes.

And if we don't like their priorities, it's our job to toss them out on their ear.

But there's no reason to throw $31 million in taxpayer money into an underground moving sidewalk with a massive elevator at each end.

What the island airport has now, frequent ferry service, isn't perfect -- especially in an icy winter -- but it's quite workable. Porter Airlines has already moved 500,000 passengers through the island airport this year. It's a phenomenal success.

Airport improvement fees are paying for a new terminal and a backup ferry. The fee can pay for a tunnel, too, if it's that important.

And a tunnel without access for fire or EMS vehicles isn't a big safety boon. Only a bridge would do that.

This is opportunism by the Port Authority, and there's no harm in trying. But the bid should fail.