Witnesses told the Committee that air safety is most jeopardized when the industry is unstable. The Majority recommendations would cause unprecedented instability and put safety at grave risk. The government should adopt a Passengers' Bill of Rights similar to the one proposed by the Canadian Association of Airline Passengers. The U.S. has such legislation, thus making its airline industry more accountable to passengers. The Majority Report pays lip service to prevention of predatory competition but its recommendations are convoluted and ultimately would be ineffective.
Modern regulation is necessary to moderate self-destructive competition.
The Majority Report recommends allowing cabotage and modified sixth freedom. These mechanisms would permit foreign airlines to skim the cream from the Canadian domestic market. The New Democratic Party opposes these recommendations, as they would aggravate the already destructive impact of deregulation and undermine all of Canada's airlines. Like other countries, Canada should reserve its domestic market for Canadian carriers, giving them a stable base to compete internationally. The great shame in this crisis is the unrealized potential of Canada's airline industry.