Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Taylor Bachrach to introduce Private member's bill to seek Air passenger protections

Update: See Mr. Bachrach introduce his private members bill in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon at the bottom of this post!

The quest for better protection for airline travellers in Canada will return to the House of Commons today,   that as Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Taylor Bachrach prepares to introduce a Private Members bill this afternoon that he hopes will gain acceptance from the House and lead to stronger protection for travellers.

The MP signalled his plans through social media this morning.

Mr. Bachrach who is the NDP Transportation Critic has been among the strongest advocates for air travellers, speaking often to their cause since the travel disruptions of the holiday period of 2022.

The lack of action by the Federal Government towards the issue of addressing the situation has led to growing frustration for the Opposition parties, particularly after recent hearings into the challenges  that air travellers have found with the airline industry in Canada.

The statement from the NDP today outlines the frustration for travellers and what the NDP will be looking for in the way of action from the federal government.

“Canadians have weathered two busy travel seasons marred by chronic flight delays and cancellations, while Canada's weak passenger protections have largely let airlines off the hook,” said Bachrach. “When Canadians' flights are delayed, their compensation shouldn't be. 

But people are having to wait more than 18 months for the government to hear their complaints, let alone deliver compensation. Clearly, the Liberals' approach isn’t protecting people -- it’s protecting the big airlines.”

Mr. Bachrach also outlined what the NDP will be looking for in the way of action from the federal government.

“People who have endured stressful delays shouldn't have to jump through endless hoops to get what they're owed/ The weakness of the current approach shows the Liberals, and Conservatives before them, have been more concerned with keeping airline CEOs happy than protecting Canadian travelers. 

That has to change.

My bill aims to protect passengers, not airlines. It would bring Canada's passenger protections up to the standard set in Europe over a decade ago. New Democrats want to see passengers treated fairly, and we're going to keep pushing until that's a reality.”

The MP's bill is supported by the consumer advocacy organizations Air Passenger Rihts, Public Interest Advocacy Centre and Option Comsommateurs.

While Private Member's Bills do gain some attention on the Hill, the success rate towards having them adopted as Legislation isn't particularly strong.

The Bill proposal should however, keep the issue one that the Federal Government will need to show some progress towards.

The Skeena Bulkfley Valley MP introduced the Private Members as part of the Afternoon proceedings.

You can follow the process of his Bill from the Our Commons information stream.

You can review some other MP's previous work on the theme of Air Transportation below:

January 31 -- With return of Parliament, Skeena Bukley ValleyMP Taylor Bachrach takes up cause of airline passengers once again 
January 12 -- Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Taylor Bachrach calls for automatic compensation when flights are delayed
January 4 -- Opposition critics call on Transport Omar Alghabra to appear at upcoming meetings on Transportation disruptions over holidays

More notes from the House of Commons can be reviewed here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.