South Baffin MLA Schell doesn’t like Jazz
South Baffin MLA Fred Schell is no fan of Air Canada Jazz’s planned Ottawa-Iqaluit route.
In the assembly Thursday, Schell lambasted Canada’s biggest airline, saying they won’t serve smaller communities, donate to local organizations and will damage Northern airlines.
“I believe that Air Canada [Jazz] is not a fair competitor,” Schell told the legislature Thursday. “It’s a dangerous and unwelcome predator.”
“The arrival of Air Canada Jazz to the capital city of Iqaluit might help overpaid bureaucrats to enjoy cheaper tickets to Ottawa as they head out to conferences or all-inclusive vacations to the Carribean, but our smaller communities and their residents will not benefit at all.”
Schell called on the Government of Nunavut to implement a policy barring civil servants from travelling on the Air Canada Jazz flight once it begins operation in March, 2010.
In Question Period, Schell called on finance minister Keith Peterson to change the GN’s travel policies to ban government employees from the new route.
But Peterson wouldn’t commit to any changes to the GN’s financial administration manual, which governs employee travel. He said the manual is under a review that’s scheduled to be complete “sometime in 2010.”
(21) Comments:
Who really cares? The only real reason why they could potentially negatively impact small communities is becase they either won’t offer flights there or, they won’t charge higher fares in Iqaluit to subsidize the fares in smaller communities…which is unfair business practices anyway and what both Canadian and First Air currently do.
Competition is good for Nunavut.
So Schell is proposing that the GN, instead of saving money on lower fares for duty travel, that they spend more money on higher fares and pick and choose who benefits the most from GN duty travel? Is that even fair/legal?
The only reason why Schell is speaking up is because he has the First Air and Canadian North service contracts for Cape Dorset and is a representative of these companies.
The Integrity Commissioner should investigate this matter becuase Schell has a financial interest in the matter and really should be keeping his mouth shut in my personal opinion.
When he is in town he spends a lot of time at the airport terminal and driving heavy equipment for his business, he never meets with council, he never meets with the public and only discusses business with a few select few southern people that arrived in the past 7 years that are extremely disliked in town by most residents, this is why he only got 50 or so odd votes.
Schell, did you properly clean up the 4000 liter oil spill or are you allowing to to seap into the ocean? Also did you report this to your insurance company?
I think DFO should really be take soil samples around and under your hotel because it is within 100 ft of the high water mark which is DFO’s territory to regulate and enforce.
I agree with Schell! overpaid bureaucrats are the only ones who will benefit!
the GN just has to keep working towards changing Canadian North and First Air to reduce their prices already!!I think they’ve made enough money to be sustained now they should help out Nunavut and lower the price!!
I’m a regular ‘Joe’ who works 9-5, 5 days a week with a mortgage and bills to pay and live in Iqaluit; not what you call an ‘overpaid bureaucrat’ such as yourself. I welcome ANY AIRLINE that will get me a LOWER COST to get from here to ‘down south’. Don’t ANYBODY GET THAT???? LOWER COST???? That’s the BOTTOM line, buddy, and will always be like that - L.O.W.E.R. C.O.S.T. FOR ANY AND ALL SERVICES. I wish the MLA’s can complain about the high cost of FOOD for once and actually DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
I cannot wait for NBCC to repo all your assets Schell.
From the Legislative Assembly website http://www.assembly.nu.ca/english/members/bios/Fred_Schell.html
“Mr. Schell has held various positions in the construction and airline industry”.
Wondering what “Airline Industry” that was??? Couldn’t be one of the two he is trying to protect by any chance?
Sam - “I agree with Schell! overpaid bureaucrats are the only ones who will benefit!”
How does this only benefit the ‘overpaid bureaucrats’? It will definetly benefit me when I want to travel. I don’t know if Schell understands what an unregluated market is… Jazz can operate anywhere they want, they aren’t obligated to fly to the communities.
Its Canadian North and First Air’s fault that Jazz is coming in the first place, they enjoyed overcharging us for so many years and made it look like a very profitable market.
Atta boy Freddie, make your buddies at First Air proud. Why don’t you & Kenny Harpo and the rest of the local yokel mouthpieces who’ve been in bed with First Air for years, start your own “Whine & Cheese” convention and be to fly to Ottawa at $1900 a head with them for your AGM’s.
As for your “Overpaid bureaucrats” comment, get a life! You just insulted and slander the 3500 regular gov’t workers who get nothing but grief for all their hard work trying to make the dysfunctional GN work from their incompetent senior mgmt and political hacks like you.
And Freddie, you know the saying about throwing rocks when you live in a glass house, eh??!!!
I think it’s great that such thoughtful opinions, and facts, come to light through these comments. However, I fear they don’t reach enough people.
I would like to see some of them published in the paper to raise public awareness on this very important topic. It would be more likely then that Schell would attempt to explain his logic… and will fail.
If something doesn’t happen soon regarding the cost of prices, I will be leaving Iqaluit and will probably end up in YK, where prices are reasonable.
I am not alone.
Schell, whatever you get paid as a public servant is too much and I would enjoy watching you squirm explaining yourself.
Please, any reporter, continue on this story. Chris?
I agree, Mr. Schell is not the best person to bring this issue up and he is clearly demonstrating he does not know how to present it either.
It will be great for, not just the bureaucrats, but also for a whole lot of Iqalummiut, when other airline comes to serve the city.
From a business point of view, I’d pass on the lost to other areas i.e. 26 other communities!
Yes Nunavummiut you are going to be in a position to see your fares going up the minute the other airlines start flying to Nunavut’s Captial. After all it is all business.
I totally agree with Mr. Schell. The people of the north need to come together and ban this type of activitly. It will only end up hurting everyone if Jazz or Westjet come up to Iqaluit. Just look at what’s happened in Yellowknife.
RD
If Joe Public wants to welcome with open arms the proposed Air Canada Jazz flight in the spring, then fill our boots. The stale nuts don’t cut it on a 3 hr flight.When I travel to and from Ottawa I see EVERY SEAT on that aircraft as a FIRST CLASS seat. The meals on the existing service of Canadian North and First Air are by far the best of ANY First Class meal and if one was to check the price of a first class airfare on Air Canada, you will find the meal is unedible and the cost is more than CN or FA. Jazz will only come here during the summer, skim the high travel season, then leave like your migrating goose. This will only force CN and FA to raise their fares to recoupe the lost revenue so they can continue to pay their high operating costs and localy hired employees just like any other company and person living up here. Go ahead! Role out the welcome mat to these ‘Vultures’ and you will soon find what a brief repreive in airfares Really Costs!!
I AM SO HAPPY TO HAVE AIR CANADA . I am an Inuk and love to travel more to see family but the other airlines insane prices are outrages.
Qujjaligiaqqalaritugun akkikinisani qangatausiqarunarata. Tammani Kanatamiutauluta akkituluangan.
Its amazing that you can see other airlines all across Canada and there prices are even under 2000.00 for they have other airlines to compete with. Canadian North and First Air just eat up our money. I rather just pay for my own food and not have any complimentary serice if I can save over 1000.00 per person. We need more airlines !!!!
Tungasuatilaavuun
Freddy was First Air Agent in Cape Dorset for over 20 years before he became MLA, ‘nuff said!
“Posted by Chris Pudlat on November 29, 2009
Freddy was First Air Agent in Cape Dorset for over 20 years before he became MLA, ‘nuff said!”
He still is has the contract and is in a position of conflict of interest. As mentioned above by Hunter the Integrity Commissioner should investigate.
Fred Schell and his out of town white supporters who control the GN here get lots of free travel through First Air and Canadian, so obviously he would be against anything that might threaten his personal interests. He does not care about the Inuk people in Nunavut or if JAZZ can help them make their dollars go further when they travel south.
There should be an open call for proposals allowing other business interests in Cape Dorset an opportunity to bid on these agency contracts. No one is happy with the lousy service these outsiders provide to the community.
I did not vote for Fred and am ashamed that he represents my home town. As a lot of other southerners, he is here to profit and there’s nothing wrong with that. As MLA for South Baffin, he should be protecting the interests of his constituents, not the interests of both the airlines he represents. Lower costs benefit us.
Fred was not acting on behalf of Cape Dorset and Kimmirut people when he made those comments, he is a long time First Air agent and if his company has contracts with first air then I hope the Integrity Commisioner looks into this matter right away. The people are very happy with the competition, First air lowered their prices just a few days after Jazz’s announcement. Have you seen return tickets from Cape Dorset and Iqaluit lately? Who can afford those rip off rates except duty travellers and what not? I just hope and pray that Air Canada Jazz expands to other communities sooner rather than later!
I totally agree with you Marlene,
Canadian North & First Air have never allowed anyone to bid on their service contracts even though Fred has totalled the First Air cargo truck
Suprisingly Fred Schell also has the Canada Post Delivery Contract, to deliver mail from the airport to the post office (Northern Store). Never seen this contract ever advertised and this should be looked into by the media to see if Canada Post has been following proper precurment procedures on this contract and many other postal contracts in Nunavut. Maybe the Auditor General should investigate.
You know all this talking about Canadian North and First Air charging so much. Just wait a bit once Air Canada starts flying to Iqaluit. they will get used to it. A I have to say is CONNECT THE DOTS. Jazz already flies to Whitehorse and Yellowknife. Now they will be able to fly from Iqaliut further to Yellowknife and continue to Whitehorse. Then Canadian North and First Air will really be steaming.