Yukon government flies into stormy skies with draft Airports Act

The Yukon government is encountering turbulence from both the official opposition and the aviation industry over draft legislation to govern the territory's airports.

And one industry organization is calling out the government for misrepresenting the amount of consultation done before drafting the bill.  

Bill 6, the Public Airports Act, was tabled in the Yukon legislature last week and is currently in first reading. If Yukon's aviation companies have their way, it won't get any further than that.

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Wendy Tayler, president of Alkan Air, says a "brief" conversation with a senior government official took place during the busy summer season, and that wasn't good enough. 

"It was very much at the 'briefing' level and certainly issues have come to light over the last week that suggest a considerable more amount of dialogue and conversation still needs to occur," she said.

Tayler says Yukoners rely on air travel for many reasons, and "it's important that we ensure all stakeholders — which really is private business, communities, city of Whitehorse, the individual citizens in Yukon — have an opportunity to weigh in."

One thing Tayler would like to see reflected in the act is an assurance that the government doesn't intend to introduce an airport improvement fee (AIF) — something the opposition Yukon Party believes may be on the horizon.

An AIF, Tayler says, would have a negative impact on "every level of our economy here."

'That's an incorrect statement'

The government is also under fire from the Northern Air Transport Association (NATA), which says it was not consulted about the draft bill despite the government's claims otherwise.

The association was listed in a government news release as one of the stakeholders consulted over the summer, but  NATA executive director Glenn Priestly says that's not true. He wants Public Works Minister Richard Mostyn to correct the record.

"We're disappointed, dismayed that we're listed on the press release as being consulted. That's an incorrect statement, and it needs to be removed so it doesn't turn into an untruth," Priestly said.

Priestly recalls having a "very quick" discussion with an assistant deputy minister early in August about the proposed act, but says it could in no way be construed as "consultation."

"Consultation is not just a quick phone call and a chit chat — there has to be dialogue. I didn't even have the document. And that was it — maybe a ten, 12, 15-minute conversation."

The association sent Mostyn a letter this week, asking him to correct the record. Priestly also says he spoke with Mostyn on Thursday, asking him to remove NATA from the news release.

Mostyn said Friday that his conversation with Priestly "ended cordially," and there was no need to correct the record. Priestly and NATA were consulted about the draft legislation, Mostyn insists.

"My officials' and Mr. Priestly's version of events do match. The issue is what constitutes 'consultation,'" Mostyn said.

"Mr. Priestly's information did work its way into the final bill that we have before us now, and his DNA, as it were, is in this bill."

Not yet clear for takeoff

Priestly, however, says the process needs to be re-started, with what he considers "proper consultation." In the meantime, he wants the government to suspend the current bill from debate in the legislature. 

"We'll have a look at the document, we'll share it with our membership, and we'll put together a proper analysis and reply." 

Priestly says now that he's actually seen the draft bill, he has a lot of problems with it.

The Yukon Party is also calling on Mostyn to apologize and correct the record about how much consultation was done already.

The party's house leader Scott Kent says he gave Mostyn ample opportunity this week in the legislature to correct statements about consultation and sharing the draft legislation.

"The minister and this government have a big credibility issue on this now. What we'll be looking for is an apology, not only to members of the legislature, but to Yukoners and the industry." 

Kent says the Yukon Party also wants to see the draft legislation withdrawn and a proper consultation process begin from square one.