MP for Windsor-West Brian Masse thinks he’s found a way to put the brakes on a study of the air traffic control tower at Windsor International Airport.
Nav Canada announced it would be conducting the study of the Windsor tower along with five others throughout the country in November. According to NAV Canada, the purpose of the study is to streamline its operations in a way that will help preserve the sustainability of Canada’s air navigation system.
After Transportation Minister Marc Garneau claimed he didn’t have the authority to direct NAV Canada to remove Windsor from the study, Masse said he found a way to give him that authority.
There are two pieces of legislation that could be amended to give the government the authority to make changes to a NAV Canada study.
“If the government today is seriously interested in preserving the current situation at the airport but for COVID, we can quickly bring into effect laws to allow the minister to have that capability,” said Masse.
Over the next few weeks, Masse will be drafting the amendments that would make these changes possible and he is inviting other members of parliament to draft the changes along with him so the changes can be made quickly.
Masse is concerned just being part of the study creates uncertainty Windsor International Airport can’t afford as the airport tries to recover from the current landscape created by COVID-19.
He said the amendments to the legislation could be completed and introduced by the beginning of February.
