Dear Minister:

Re: Tunnel to Toronto Island

We are writing to register our strong objection to the amendment of the Toronto Port Authority Regulations to allow the construction of a pedestrian tunnel from the mainland to the Toronto Island airport. It seems that when the federal government fails one way to prop up the development of the airport and the dysfunctional Toronto Port Authority (TPA), or several ways frankly, it will resort to changing the law to facilitate the propping up.

Designating Toronto an official port when it failed to meet the criteria for a port, enabling the TPA to use a lawsuit to bail out a bankrupt TPA, and facilitating the breach of a legal commitment to the City of Toronto to use only STOL aircraft for commercial operations, are just a few of the acts of duplicity and patronage.

Will a violation of the longstanding agreement for no jets at the Toronto Island airport be the next breach of faith?

Airports have no legitimate place in credible plans for the development of a major city's waterfront. It is no more complicated than that. And every time the federal government gives Porter another gift, like the financing of Porter aircraft, it increases the damage being done to the potential for waterfront redevelopment.

The federal government's role in undermining waterfront redevelopment is shocking. Your government's behaviour is not in the long term interests of the City of Toronto.

Sincerely,

Garfield Mahood, OC  and Helen Kenney, RN

cc. Tim Meisner, Director General, Marine Policy

Transport Canada