So what is the Bombardier #C-Series anyway?

It’s a nice looking jet and it’s great to see that a #Canadian company may possibly compete with the likes of #Airbus and #Boeing. Seating between 100 – 149 seats and leaving a smaller environmental footprint I dare to say that maybe “less is more”. With the rumors of Porter Airlines purchasing these jets it will be interesting to see what happens in the long-term. Will they expand Billy Bishop Airport? Will these planes fly out of Montreal? Maybe, with the new Airport link, they will fly out of Pearson? What about Hamilton, Oshawa Airport or Buttonville? We will have to wait and see what actually happens today at the announcement. Hopefully the Bombardier C-Series will shake up the industry. Maybe we are just a bit nostalgic over the prominent days of the Avro Arrow and Canada being on top once again.

By: @iammannyj

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The Bombardier CSeries is a family of narrow-body, twin-engine, medium-range jet airliners that are being developed by Canadian manufacturer Bombardier Aerospace. Models are the 110-seat CS100, and the 130-seat CS300. These were initially named C110 and C130, respectively. In November 2012, Bombardier announced that the CS100 would take its maiden flight in June 2013 and enter service in 2014. 

To learn more about the CSeries go to http://cseries.com/info/en/

Related articles

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• Porter Airlines reportedly to buy $2B Bombardier jets (cbc.ca)

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Is Toronto a housing bubble?

While Canada’s high-flying housing market continues to stabilize, it’s increasingly evident that one city — Toronto — is a glaring exception.

In sharp contrast to price moderation in most cities and a significant drop in Vancouver, where buyers are being priced out of the country’s costliest market, Toronto buyers are on a spending spree — one that looks as if it won’t end well.

New figures from the Canadian Real Estate Association show prices up by 10.5 per cent in Toronto over the past 12 months, the only major city with a double-digit gain. In contrast, Montreal gained a modest 3.7 per cent and Vancouver is down by 3.1 per cent.

Read more

Related articles

• House prices in Canada declined in March (cbc.ca)
• What will make the housing boom go bust? ‘Greed’ (theglobeandmail.com)
• National home sales rise in March (creanews.ca)
• Housing market bubble denied by BMO (cbc.ca)

Qatar Airways keen to expand in Canada

Qatar Airways keen to expand in Canada

The CEO of Qatar Airways has said he is struggling to secure more landing rights to boost services to Canada.
Akbar Al Baker said in a speech in Montreal that Canadians deserved a better airline service to the Middle East but government restrictions were hindering progress.

“Qatar is of course interested in forging even closer ties with Canada but we are struggling with being granted additional landing rights,”

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Is it time to open the skies in Canada and allow U.S carriers?

Air Canada Boeing 747-133 C-FTOC at Zurich International Airport (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Is it time to open the skies in Canada and allow U.S carriers?

Despite the issues pilots have with their employer, Air Canada, the issues today are showing the serious flaws in Canada’s transportation system. Air Canada, like the photo, is starting to look old and out-dated. There are alternatives for trips to Montreal, Ottawa and other locations; using Porter or WestJet, however other remote and specific locations are leaving Canadians hanging. People are upset and rightly so. There is a dependency in Canada, on Air Canada. However, there are a not a full list of choices. I am sure Buffalo Niagara is seeing an increase and maybe it’s time to get other carriers in Canada. Our Federal policies prevent an American, or other carrier, from flying within Canada. Air Canada is taking a big hit and Canadians are angry. The Conservatives, now with a majority, may take notice. We have underutilized airports in Hamilton, London and even Oshawa. Is it time to open the skies?What do you say?

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• Harper Government Says Not Our Problem / Aveos Closes Its Doors / 2600 workers Out Of Work (archemdis.wordpress.com)
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• WestJet targets Air Canada with regional airline (thestar.com)

Wildcat strike has now hit Montreal

Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ/CYYZ), Mississauga, Greater Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The wildcat strike, which started in Toronto’s Pearson Airport has now started to affect Montreal. Just heard the news and if you already have not started, please check with Air Canada before heading out. The issue started last night when baggage handlers were suspended for supposedly clapping when an MP was spotted. We are still waiting for confirmation. Air Canada has offered talks, however employees are in solidarity until their peers are reinstated and they are assured the no other repercussions.

Update: News just came in on NewsTalk 1010 – CFRB: Please check your flights out of Dorval, in Montreal. All Air Canada flights are cancelled. Now flights out of Ottawa are being affected by the wildcat strike.

Related articles

• Wildcat strike spreads at Air Canada (transportgeo.wordpress.com)
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The bigger story: Justin Trudeau wins Montreal riding. Will he become the next leader of the Liberals

Justin Trudeau

INGRID PERITZ

Globe and Mail Update

October 15, 2008 at 1:22 AM EDT

MONTREAL — Justin Trudeau, heir to one of the most famous names in Canadian politics, will succeed his father to Ottawa after securing a victory in the Montreal riding of Papineau last night.

Mr. Trudeau’s campaign headquarters erupted in chants of “Jus-tin, Jus-tin, Jus-tin” as his victory was announced.

Greeted by cheers from his supporters, Mr. Trudeau promised to fight for social justice and against Tory policies, especially on the environment.

“Canada once again chose to tell Stephen Harper, ‘We just don’t trust you with a majority’,” Mr. Trudeau, flanked by his wife, Sophie Grégoire, said in the theatrical voice that Canadians came to know when he delivered the eulogy at his father’s

He acknowledged that carrying the Trudeau name wasn’t always easy during the campaign. Speaking to reporters, he said he weathered the personal attacks against him by recognizing he was being targeted “because of my name, not because of me.”

He said that while his father’s presence was always with him, he is now is the father of an 11-month-old himself.

“I’m a father now, not a son,” he said.

Margaret Trudeau, his mother, said she hoped politics would be kind to her son, “but I have no illusions.”

“I’m very proud of Justin. This is what Justin wanted and as a mother I wanted him to fulfill his dreams,” she said in an interview.

Mr. Trudeau, burdened by an image as a lightweight, campaigned hard after a tough nomination battle in the Montreal riding of Papineau. Now the 36-year-old political neophyte will head to Parliament, 43 years after his father, Pierre Trudeau, was first elected as an MP. Read More

Why you should not ignore Jack! Is it time for a new vision for Canada?

Maybe its time for change? Maybe its time for a new Prime Minister? We like to think the Tories are the best for managing deficits, however, Ronald Reagan, Brian Mulroney, Mike Harris (Ernie Eves), George Bush and now maybe Harper, will show us that maybe those ideologies just do not work? The Conservatives say that our fundamentals are sound. However, who are they fooling. They are not true Libertarians. There own platforms calls for an approx 1-2 % growth. Economist say that this is highly optimistic, if not deceptive. With the U.S slowdown it is more likely to be a 1-2 % downward turn. That amounts to, in a recent broadcast on CBC Newsworld of a 3.3 billion dollar shortfall. Hmmm! Sounds familiar? Remember Ernie Eves? Yes, Ontario was left with a large deficit, even though our “fundamentals were sound” in Ontario. Makes me wonder, what are the Conservatives going to cut in order to balance the books? Will there be some form of privatization of Healthcare or key Government corporations? Read more below from a recent National Post article on Jack Layton. It maybe time for Canadians to give the guy a chance.  By: Isaac Thomas / G.T.A Patriot Contributor

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By: John Ivison, National Post
Published: Monday, September 29, 2008

Jack Layton

Jack Layton has never really been taken seriously. Beyond the fiercely partisan types who crowded into a community centre just off Danforth Avenue yesterday, the NDP leader has always been regarded as a harmless buffoon — a man so smug, he’d drink his own bathwater. Jack — let’s call him Jack — has always said outrageous things and nobody has paid too much attention to this point.

But perhaps it’s time people actually started listening.

The NDP leader unveiled his party’s platform yesterday in front of a boisterous crowd in his own riding. It was a virtuoso performance.

“Friends, I sense a real excitement out there. A sense of hope that this time, in this election, we can really make a difference,” he said.

“And maybe we can even make a little history.”

If current polling trends continue, he could do just that, by taking possession of the keys to Stornoway, the residence of the leader of the Official Opposition. The NDP started the campaign as much as 19 points behind the Liberals — some polls now put them in a statistical tie.

On the surface, much of the New Democrat platform will seem appealing to many Canadians — families would receive an enhanced child benefit payment of up to $400 a month; billions would be spent on affordable housing; students would be given a $1,000-a-year grant; more doctors would be hired and their loans forgiven if they work in family medicine; and everyone would get an extra day off work in February. Unlike in days of yore, this would not mean plunging the country into deficit. Budgets would be balanced and personal income taxes would be held steady.

In short, Jack made a convincing case that if he became prime minister, we could trust him to spend our money wisely. There he is in his campaign literature, sleeves rolled up, in the living rooms of the hard-pressed Canadian families helping them make ends meet. No wonder he’s flying high in the polls — he’s identified real problems, real issues and promised real solutions.

Read more

Free trade Canada – Europe – Secret agreement in the works?

DOUG SAUNDERS

From Thursday’s Globe and Mail

September 18, 2008 at 2:00 AM EDT

LONDON — Canadian and European officials say they plan to begin negotiating a massive agreement to integrate Canada’s economy with the 27 nations of the European Union, with preliminary talks to be launched at an Oct. 17 summit in Montreal three days after the federal election.

Trade Minister Michael Fortier and his staff have been engaged for the past two months with EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson and the representatives of European governments in an effort to begin what a senior EU official involved in the talks described in an interview yesterday as “deep economic integration negotiations.”

If successful, Canada would be the first developed nation to have open trade relations with the EU, which has completely open borders between its members but imposes steep trade and investment barriers on outsiders.

The proposed pact would far exceed the scope of older agreements such as NAFTA by encompassing not only unrestricted trade in goods, services and investment and the removal of tariffs, but also the free movement of skilled people and an open market in government services and procurement – which would require that Canadian governments allow European companies to bid as equals on government contracts for both goods and services and end the favouring of local or national providers of public-sector services.

read more | digg story

 

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080918.wtrade18/BNStory/International/home

Toronto Porter Airlines’ Big Apple Plans Soured By FAA

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has taken a big bite out of Porter Airlines’ Big Apple ambitions.

The regulator ruled the Toronto-based upstart airline must trim its daily schedule of 14 flights between Hogtown and Newark, N.J. by four in order to reduce congestion and delays at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Porter, which operates out of the Toronto City Centre Airport, argued the reduced schedule violates the U.S.-Canada open skies pact, adding that the market should determine the amount of competition that exists.

But the FAA was unconvinced, saying Porter’s new, slimmed-down schedule would take effect in the summer. That means Porter must cancel 29 per cent of its weekday flights and reduce its Sunday schedule. The carrier said that given the 11pm curfew in effect at the Toronto Island Airport the rules will effectively limit its Toronto-Newark flying hours to between 7am and 5pm.

Porter president Robert Deluce had hoped to land at Newark at 5:30pm and leave again at 6:30pm, to capitalize on business travellers heading to and from New York. It has so far sold 25,000 seats on the Toronto-Newark route, competing with Air Canada and Houston-based carrier Continental.

The upstart airline, which began operations in October 2006 flying between Toronto and Ottawa, has expanded to other destinations including Montreal, Halifax and Quebec City.

read more | digg story

Immigrants choose to settle in Canada’s largest cities

Immigrants are still choosing to start their lives in Canada in one of the “big three” -Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver – but there are signs of changing times.

Among all the census metropolitan areas, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver again attracted most of Canada’s new immigrants, according to 2006 census data on immigration released Tuesday by Statistics Canada.

Of the 1.1 million immigrants who landed in Canada between 2001 and 2006, about 70 per cent settled in one of the “big three” and about 28 per cent headed for other urban areas. Only three per cent chose to settle in a rural area, the 2006 census found.

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What goes around comes around?

I am a fan of the Toronto Island Airport. I like the idea of flying out of the downtown Toronto area, using a convenient connection to places like Ottawa, Montreal and points beyond. I also like the Porter Airline concept, along with the use of Canadian technology in the Q400 from Bombardier. I believe that as long as there is not a “quick and convenient” connection to Pearson International or a direct link to Hamilton International, then the airport must stay for the time being. I will not get into the idea of why no one has considered Buttonville Airport, with some type of direct link to downtown or finally completing the Pickering Airport first. That is a topic for another day! Porter Airlines said it has gone to court to try to break up the ties between Jazz Air and Air Canada. Porter airlines has been flying, for a year, out of Toronto Island airport. Now let’s get through the smoke-screen and look at this closely. Is something else going on? I’ve always liked the underdog story; however I think Porter has some larger issues now, not the making of their own. Or are they? Remember that Jazz was essentially “kicked out” of the Toronto Island. Now, SAS has cut 57 flights after grounding all Q400 aircraft. SAS operates on Danish and Swedish domestic routes, as well as European routes. Of course I do not think that there is anything wrong with the Q400. However, that is not a scientific assessment. One has to wonder, with all of the Q400 craft around the world, why has SAS experienced 3 landing gear problem issues in the last 3 months? This has to be investigated. However, Porter will now have arrows flying at them from all directions now. There will be groups and vested interest groups calling for the grounding of Porter. It really does not matter what we think about the Island airport. However I am curious, if the landing gear failed, on landing at Toronto Island airport, would they get out safely or get waterlogged? In addition, if this lawsuit fails, Porter’s days may be numbered in Toronto. However, with all of the backroom deals, bridge construction issues and obvious manipulation of whomever “got dibs” at the Toronto Island airport you really just have to say. “What goes around comes around, eh!”

By: Andy MJ
a.k.a. ‘The G.T.A Patriot”
Toronto, Ontario