As of mid-January, COPA was expecting the release of the
long-awaited report on the Comprehensive Environmental Assessment studies on
Banff and Jasper airstrips. These studies were ordered by the Court during a
lawsuit brought against pilots who landed there (the defence was backed and won
through support from COPA’s Special Action Fund). The Court reminded Parks
Canada that its own rules required them to carry out these studies before any
decision can be made regarding the future of the airstrips.
With the release of the reports in mind, COPA arranged a meeting on January 22
with Ed Stelmach, Alberta Minister of Transport, Janice Tarchuk, MLA for Banff
and Ivan Strang, MLA for Yellowhead. In attendance for COPA were President Kevin
Psutka, Directors Bob Kirkby and Sherry Cooper, as well as Bryn Thomas from
Jasper Flying Club (coordinator for our efforts), and Bernie Schiesser and Bill
Clark from the Banff Flying Club. We hope for a reasonable and constructive
recommendation from the consultants but are also preparing ourselves for an
unacceptable recommendation.
COPA brought the Minister up to date on where we think the process is headed and
we asked him to reaffirm his support for retention of these airstrips. He
offered to deal with his counterpart at the federal level, David Collenette,
emphasizing that this important transportation issue should be of concern to the
federal Minister, who should take an active role in preventing the airstrips
from being removed.
Once the reports are released, we expect a 60-day comment period. COPA will be
working with the Transport Ministers from Alberta and British Columbia (we hope
to schedule a meeting with B.C. in the near future) and formulating a response
to the reports.