WxGeek your forcast sucks
WXgeek
You've made numerous posts on this subject that either demonstrate you are mis-informed about what you are talking about or that you are intentionally spreading dis-information about this topic.
Yes everybody is entitled to their own opinion but, the truth is not something you can shuffle away in your simple argument that in this matter everything boils down to a question of self interest. Your reservations about the affects that a truly open skies policy with the UAE would represent are baseless as are your assertions that the UAE has ever made threats against Canada with regards to its military base in the UAE.
While I'm at this point may I say that the UAE does not have a military base in Canada, and I wonder aloud how Canadians would respond to this country having such a base in Canada?
Getting back to your repeated assertion that the UAE has somehow threatened, or seeks to blackmail Canada with closing it's base in the UAE, you are absolutely wrong and just a quick google search for those who want to know what is really going on will reveal. You have chosen to confide in statements made, principally in the National Post newspaper, by a foreign affairs spokesman (and quoted in J.O.'s post) who says in an either an incredible show of stupidity or misunderstanding, that quote "the Canadain government does not respond well to having a gun pointed at its head"
This laughable statement, is not an uncommon example from the Harper government with regards to foreign affairs. Surely this is an opinion that most Canadians do not share, because it is based on a lie. At no time has the UAE "threatened" Canada with regards to it's base in the UAE. What was put forth by the government of the UAE if you care to research what you spend much time writing about, was simply this.
If Canada was interested in renewing it's lease on its base within the UAE (which expires soon) that better access to Canadian markets by UAE airlines would have to be considered. End of story.
That is a threat Wxgeek??
You talk of defending Canadian jobs? Well there are literally hundreds, maybe even thousands of Canadian employed by the two major airlines in the UAE. Emirates and Etihad. Both whom I might add, fly to Toronto, the only destination allowed by the current Canadian government. All these Canadians I guarantee you do not reside in the UAE because they love living in the middle east. They were forced to look for jobs there by the lack of them in Canada. So much for your tax base argument. What is even more ironic to your argument is that now these Canadians and their families, constantly travel back to Canada to escape the region's unbearable summers and spend their hard earned money in Canada, making jobs for Canadians in Canada, and paying GST, and taxes on their rented homes which I can assure you they desperately long to return too.
Protect high paying pilot jobs in Canada? you must be joking, entry level pilot positions with Canada's two major airlines pay less than a senior flight attendant or ramp worker, or gate agent at Air Canada.
Your dumping argument is a joke, or one maliciously skewed to protect only Canada's competitive advantage. Why is your vitriol not pointed at KLM, who serve many Canadian destinations, and in return Air Canada (only) serves AMS? or the UK's airlines a small nation who's airlines also serve numerous Canadian cities for our access to only one important destination LHR?
Your capacity argument is a joke, load factors for both Emirates and Etihad are extremely high. Adding more flights would not change this, or would mean that these two airlines don't have any commercial sense something I seriously doubt.
Get your information correct, The UAE has open skies agreements in place with many countries that are much more economically important with regards to trade to the UAE than Canada. For example Germany, who had a open skies agreement for years and yet has a very, very successful airline industry borne out of their fearless competitive attitude. Not one like Canada's where a single near monopoly airline dictates to the Canadian people what is good for us in terms of our access to air travel.
Canadian consumers like fair prices, a competitive market, and access to the world. Funny and quite contrary to what you say the only parties that have uttered threats and seek to anger Canadians, are it's government and it's largest and most would say, most uncompetitive airline.
six
Last edited by six7driver; 19th Mar 2010 at 13:01.