Open letter to Yukon Premier Darrell Pasloski and caucus:
I am writing to commend your initial investigation into the Air North issue. The Yukon Party has always championed northern entrepreneurship and I am sure that you understand better than most how difficult it is to create and maintain a business in the challenging economic environment of the North.
The real debate is between the philosophies of “free enterprise” and “protectionism.” The problem is that everyone interprets these terms to their own advantage. I won’t trouble you with mine because beyond the rhetoric we all know what is right.
Air North deserves special consideration by both the Yukon government and the rest of us. Air North is the whiz kid from our hometown who is trying to do a great thing. We are all proud and we will all make some extra effort and a little sacrifice, if needed, to make sure this kid succeeds.
I guess that is the only part of your press release that troubles me à the part where you say: “Government travel is awarded based on factors such as ticket price, flight frequency, type of aircraft, marketing of Yukon, provision of year-round service and connections to other flights.”
I realize this is a carefully crafted statement to demonstrate financial accountability as well as local consideration. I just hope at the end of the day that your formula does not place a few dollars’ savings or trifling convenience over all the other values of greater importance.
The true test will be when your travel ticket desk chooses Air North even when it is not the cheapest flight or when the travel desk causes a Yukon government employee to pick up their bag at the carousel and walk it upstairs to check in again.
Will you actually do that?
If this does not happen then it is all just posturing.
I look forward to further news of your efforts to support Air North in the coming weeks and months.
Doug Urquhart
Whitehorse