COPA travaille vraiment pour nous
Posted: Tue 20 Dec, 2005 20:21
Voici un courriel personnel que je viens de recevoir de "COPA"
Jacques :wink:
December 20, 2005
Dear JACQUES M.:
In 2004, COPA responded to a Nav Canada proposal to raise the annual fee for our sector of aviation (see President's column June 2004 on our web site www.copanational.org/non-members/Presid ... June04.htm).
Our disagreement was in part because of our long-standing position against any fee as long as we continue to pay the fuel excise tax, but we also pointed out that this is just another in the steps toward even higher fees.
We called on the company and indeed the government to take a different approach to the way the system is funded and in particular for those facilities that are used in support of smaller communities, where many of our members fly.
Nav Can decided to proceed anyway and our annual fee was increased to the current $72 plus GST or HST.
Earlier this year, Nav Can decided to review the rate structure that has been in place since the system was privatized. Arguably, given the changes that have occurred in the industry since the original rate structure was put in place, it was time for a review.
However, a key change to the way our sector is charged was proposed in a discussion paper that was circulated by Nav Can. They are under pressure from the airlines for our sector to pay more.
To deal with that pressure, the concept of an additional fee for use of specific parts of the system was contemplated. Nav Can refers to it as two-tiered pricing, which is by other names fee-per-service or pay-as-you-go.
COPA provided considerable input to justify reducing the current annual fee rather than increasing it further. After all, with cuts in service that have already been made and plans for even more, such as replacing contract weather services with AWOS, it did not seem reasonable to increase our fee. As well, we specifically opposed any form of two-tiered pricing on safety grounds.
Despite COPA's firm position, Nav Can decided to release a proposal on Dec. 2, for a new daily fee applicable to all aircraft, domestic and foreign, private and commercial, including those that are now exempt from any fee.
The new fee would apply for the first time each day that an aircraft departs from any of the following eight major airports in Canada: Vancouver CYVR including the waterdrome CAM9, Edmonton CYEG, Calgary CYYC, Winnipeg CYWG, Pearson CYYZ, Ottawa CYOW, Trudeau CYUL and Halifax CYHZ.
We asked Nav Can for clarification of "departure" and we were told that it is defined as a takeoff or a touch and go. For example, if you fly to one of these airports, complete a practice ILS approach and perform a low approach only, there would be no fee. If, instead, you completed the approach with a touch and go, there would be a fee.
This new fee is in addition to the annual fee. When it is fully implemented in 2008, some private owners would pay up to $1,272 plus GST or HST per year in Nav Can fees.
COPA is responding strongly against the concept of two-tiered pricing for our sector for several reasons. Firstly, we consider it to be in violation of two charging principles from the Commercialization Act which state: "charges must not be structured in such a way that a user would be encouraged to engage in practices that diminish safety for the purpose of avoiding a charge" and "charges in respect of recreational and private aircraft must not be unreasonable or undue."
Certainly the initial fee, applicable only per day and only to a relatively few number of airports, may seem like it does not affect too many COPA members. However, the International Air Transport Association, who is principally pushing for increases in fees for our sector, was asked for their reaction to the proposal and they said that the proposal is only a good first step.
COPA considers this as only the first phase of more to come. It is clear from other countries where pay-as-you-go is in place that the impact on private aviation is severe and largely responsible for its decline. COPA is committed to not let that happen here.
As we go to press, we are engaged in negotiations with Nav Can to change the proposal and we will employ every means available to convince Nav Can to back away from two-tiered pricing. Here is where you can help.
Nav Can has the right in law to introduce any new fees as long as they do not violate the charging principles, but they must provide a comment period, which in this case is until Feb. 10, 2006.
We urge you to educate yourself on the proposal and our many presentations to Nav Can and the government. Visit our website for links to all of this information www.copanational.org/navcanfees.htm and then formulate your own response regarding how the new daily fee will affect you, and send it to Nav Can by one of the following means:
NAV CANADA
P.O. Box 3411, Station "D"
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada K1P 5L6
Attention: Assistant Vice-President, Revenue and Performance Indicators
E-mail: andreaa@navcanada.ca
Fax: 1-613-563-7994
We are at a turning point in the future of our sector and what we pay for provision of all air navigation services. Take the time to help us.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2006 Federal election checklist
The federal election provides a tremendous opportunity for COPA members to get their views and concerns about aviation out to politicians across the country. We sent a list of top issues (see below) to the federal party leaders along with a request for their position and the results will be on our website prior to the election in order to help you decide on which party best supports our sector of aviation.
We have prepared the following election checklist to help you determine the level of knowledge and support that your local candidates have for personal aviation.
Determine the issues that are of greatest concern to your freedom to fly.
Describe to the politician how the issues affect your use of aircraft for personal travel and recreation. Personal concerns of a local nature add a human dimension to the issues.
Ask the candidate to give specific commitments on your concerns. Keep track of the responses so that you can hold them accountable after they are elected.
Aviation is under increasing pressure, in large part due to a lack of policy at the federal level. Over the past 10 years, federally-owned airports have been divested as has the national air navigation system.
It is now more important than ever to engage your representatives in the job of protecting our sector of aviation, for your freedom to fly!
TOP ISSUES
National Airports Policy
The government decided more than 10 years ago to divest itself of airports, retaining ownership in only a few large airports. The policy has left many smaller airports, which play a vital role in transportation and the economy, struggling financially to survive. There has consequently been a loss of national focus on the importance of a viable network of airports.
What is your position on the need for a review of this policy?
Fuel Excise Tax
This tax is collected on all types of aviation fuel and it removes millions of dollars annually from aviation. The government decided recently to use some of the revenue, including that collected from aviation, to help fix roads in Canada, illustrating that indeed the concept of applying taxes from one sector back to that sector is a viable option.
Would you support an effort to apply the excise tax on aviation fuel to aviation purposes?
Increasing Transport Canada's Budget
General Aviation is the fastest growing segment of aviation in Canada, yet continuing cuts to Transport Canada's budget are resulting in the reduction or elimination of essential safety programs and services.
Are you in favour of increasing Transport Canada's budget specifically to support the restoration of these programs and services, and to keep pace with General Aviation's growth?
Yours truly,
Kevin Psutka
President and CEO
Canadian Owners and Pilots Association
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jacques :wink:
December 20, 2005
Dear JACQUES M.:
In 2004, COPA responded to a Nav Canada proposal to raise the annual fee for our sector of aviation (see President's column June 2004 on our web site www.copanational.org/non-members/Presid ... June04.htm).
Our disagreement was in part because of our long-standing position against any fee as long as we continue to pay the fuel excise tax, but we also pointed out that this is just another in the steps toward even higher fees.
We called on the company and indeed the government to take a different approach to the way the system is funded and in particular for those facilities that are used in support of smaller communities, where many of our members fly.
Nav Can decided to proceed anyway and our annual fee was increased to the current $72 plus GST or HST.
Earlier this year, Nav Can decided to review the rate structure that has been in place since the system was privatized. Arguably, given the changes that have occurred in the industry since the original rate structure was put in place, it was time for a review.
However, a key change to the way our sector is charged was proposed in a discussion paper that was circulated by Nav Can. They are under pressure from the airlines for our sector to pay more.
To deal with that pressure, the concept of an additional fee for use of specific parts of the system was contemplated. Nav Can refers to it as two-tiered pricing, which is by other names fee-per-service or pay-as-you-go.
COPA provided considerable input to justify reducing the current annual fee rather than increasing it further. After all, with cuts in service that have already been made and plans for even more, such as replacing contract weather services with AWOS, it did not seem reasonable to increase our fee. As well, we specifically opposed any form of two-tiered pricing on safety grounds.
Despite COPA's firm position, Nav Can decided to release a proposal on Dec. 2, for a new daily fee applicable to all aircraft, domestic and foreign, private and commercial, including those that are now exempt from any fee.
The new fee would apply for the first time each day that an aircraft departs from any of the following eight major airports in Canada: Vancouver CYVR including the waterdrome CAM9, Edmonton CYEG, Calgary CYYC, Winnipeg CYWG, Pearson CYYZ, Ottawa CYOW, Trudeau CYUL and Halifax CYHZ.
We asked Nav Can for clarification of "departure" and we were told that it is defined as a takeoff or a touch and go. For example, if you fly to one of these airports, complete a practice ILS approach and perform a low approach only, there would be no fee. If, instead, you completed the approach with a touch and go, there would be a fee.
This new fee is in addition to the annual fee. When it is fully implemented in 2008, some private owners would pay up to $1,272 plus GST or HST per year in Nav Can fees.
COPA is responding strongly against the concept of two-tiered pricing for our sector for several reasons. Firstly, we consider it to be in violation of two charging principles from the Commercialization Act which state: "charges must not be structured in such a way that a user would be encouraged to engage in practices that diminish safety for the purpose of avoiding a charge" and "charges in respect of recreational and private aircraft must not be unreasonable or undue."
Certainly the initial fee, applicable only per day and only to a relatively few number of airports, may seem like it does not affect too many COPA members. However, the International Air Transport Association, who is principally pushing for increases in fees for our sector, was asked for their reaction to the proposal and they said that the proposal is only a good first step.
COPA considers this as only the first phase of more to come. It is clear from other countries where pay-as-you-go is in place that the impact on private aviation is severe and largely responsible for its decline. COPA is committed to not let that happen here.
As we go to press, we are engaged in negotiations with Nav Can to change the proposal and we will employ every means available to convince Nav Can to back away from two-tiered pricing. Here is where you can help.
Nav Can has the right in law to introduce any new fees as long as they do not violate the charging principles, but they must provide a comment period, which in this case is until Feb. 10, 2006.
We urge you to educate yourself on the proposal and our many presentations to Nav Can and the government. Visit our website for links to all of this information www.copanational.org/navcanfees.htm and then formulate your own response regarding how the new daily fee will affect you, and send it to Nav Can by one of the following means:
NAV CANADA
P.O. Box 3411, Station "D"
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada K1P 5L6
Attention: Assistant Vice-President, Revenue and Performance Indicators
E-mail: andreaa@navcanada.ca
Fax: 1-613-563-7994
We are at a turning point in the future of our sector and what we pay for provision of all air navigation services. Take the time to help us.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2006 Federal election checklist
The federal election provides a tremendous opportunity for COPA members to get their views and concerns about aviation out to politicians across the country. We sent a list of top issues (see below) to the federal party leaders along with a request for their position and the results will be on our website prior to the election in order to help you decide on which party best supports our sector of aviation.
We have prepared the following election checklist to help you determine the level of knowledge and support that your local candidates have for personal aviation.
Determine the issues that are of greatest concern to your freedom to fly.
Describe to the politician how the issues affect your use of aircraft for personal travel and recreation. Personal concerns of a local nature add a human dimension to the issues.
Ask the candidate to give specific commitments on your concerns. Keep track of the responses so that you can hold them accountable after they are elected.
Aviation is under increasing pressure, in large part due to a lack of policy at the federal level. Over the past 10 years, federally-owned airports have been divested as has the national air navigation system.
It is now more important than ever to engage your representatives in the job of protecting our sector of aviation, for your freedom to fly!
TOP ISSUES
National Airports Policy
The government decided more than 10 years ago to divest itself of airports, retaining ownership in only a few large airports. The policy has left many smaller airports, which play a vital role in transportation and the economy, struggling financially to survive. There has consequently been a loss of national focus on the importance of a viable network of airports.
What is your position on the need for a review of this policy?
Fuel Excise Tax
This tax is collected on all types of aviation fuel and it removes millions of dollars annually from aviation. The government decided recently to use some of the revenue, including that collected from aviation, to help fix roads in Canada, illustrating that indeed the concept of applying taxes from one sector back to that sector is a viable option.
Would you support an effort to apply the excise tax on aviation fuel to aviation purposes?
Increasing Transport Canada's Budget
General Aviation is the fastest growing segment of aviation in Canada, yet continuing cuts to Transport Canada's budget are resulting in the reduction or elimination of essential safety programs and services.
Are you in favour of increasing Transport Canada's budget specifically to support the restoration of these programs and services, and to keep pace with General Aviation's growth?
Yours truly,
Kevin Psutka
President and CEO
Canadian Owners and Pilots Association
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------