"Forever is a long time" was Liberal Prime Minister Carney's response when reporters pressed him about whether he would rule out expanding Toronto's Billy Bishop Airport to accommodate jets.
This exchange came after Ottawa halted Premier Doug Ford's plans for the expansion last month.
Ostensibly the Liberal government had reacted to massive public opposition in Toronto to the airport expansion plans, particularly from waterfront ridings such as Beaches-East York.
An online federal consultation found that 87 per cent of 87,000 respondents did not want an expanded Island airport.
Carney's comment, however, has exposed the prime minister and the Liberal government's unwillingness to be decisive about what will happen with the airport despite being given unambiguous direction by the people of Toronto.
Speaking on the issue, NDP Leader, Avi Lewis said "People are really annoyed that they thought they had won against these jets and the expansion of Billy Bishop, and all of a sudden the prime minister is saying, ‘Oh, forever is a long time.’' He’s suddenly flip-flopping again — people are upset about that."
The Liberals' shifting on the airport issue has centred it in the Beaches-East York by-election campaign in which NDP candidate Shannon Devine has been clear and consistent about opposing the Island airport expansion pointing out the noise, pollution, and environmental harms it would bring.
“We’re hearing from residents that they feel very frustrated that they had to fight so hard to be heard, and that they don't trust that the government isn't going to backpedal on this,” she said.
Voters in Beaches-East York going to the polls this month, can feel secure that Devine is on the right side of this issue and will represent them strongly.
