MP James Lunney raises plight of local airline during the

2010 Winter Olympics

A petition with over 700 names in support of local air carrier KD Air made its way to Ottawa this week.

But, says Nanaimo-Alberni MP James Lunney, it was not possible to present it on the floor of the House of Commons.

The company has expressed concern that, should they have to stop over at an airport that has security in place prior to flying in to Vancouver, the costs could prove prohibitive and they might have to close their doors.

The petition, said KD Air co-owner Diana Banke, called for security to be installed at the Qualicum Beach municipal airport during the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics.

Banke said she was heartened by the strong response from the community to her company’s plight.

“We started the petition on Aug. 15,” she said. “The day it came out in The News, people were flocking in. I was floored. They were coming in droves. It was wonderful. It showed how much support is out there. It made me feel really good.”

She noted the tally did not include petitions from either Texada Island or Port Alberni, which are also serviced by KD Air.

The petitions were picked up by Qualicum Beach Mayor Teunis Westbroek and delivered to Nanaimo-Alberni MP James Lunney, who agreed to take them to Ottawa.

“Even though the town didn’t want to get involved, the main person who counted stepped up to the plate,” Banke said.

However, once it got to the nation’s capital, the petition drive got mired in bureaucracy.

“Regrettably, they can’t be presented in the House because they are not in parliamentary format,” Lunney said.

“However, I hope to present them to the minister.”

Petitions to the House of Commons, Lunney continued, must be presented in the proper format.

“They have to begin with the appropriate address to Parliament, acknowledging certain facts and asking Parliament to do something,” he said. “If so, the government is obliged to respond officially.”

Despite the hitch, Lunney expressed confidence that some form of solution to KD Air’s dilemma would arise.

“We are working on a solution,” he said. “We’ve got the period shortened down from 65 days to 33 days, so the window is getting narrower.”

news@pqbnews.com