Sen. Colin Kenny: Telling the UAE where to get off

[ScudRunner]

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/201 ... o-get-off/

By Sen. Colin Kenny

The United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) has gone into a princely snit over our refusal to grant it more landing rights in Canada for its airline, and has decided it can bully us into changing our minds. I suggest that we push back, firmly, because the U.A.E. has not realized that Canada has options, too.

Why does the U.A.E. so desperately want more landing rights? Because it has bought a lot of big fat aircraft as part of its decade-long, oil-fuelled spending spree, and needs to fill seats by moving North Americans through Dubai to the Middle East and Asia.

When the Canadian government refused, the U.A.E. proceeded to:

A) kick Canada out of our staging base for Afghanistan that was located on U.A.E. soil; B) refuse our Minister of National Defence and our Chief of the Defence Staff permission to fly through its airspace after they were in the air; and C) introduced the need for expensive visas for any Canadian wishing to visit their country.

Here’s what I think we should consider in response: (A) void the landing rights U.A.E. airlines already have; (B) forbid them to fly in Canadian air space; (C) slow down the processing of visas for anyone from the U.A.E. who wants to visit Canada; and (D) tell them to convince us that nobody connected to any of the Emirates’ royal families is supporting anti-Western terrorist activities.

Why would I want to drop the gloves in dealing with the U.A.E.? Because I think they’re essentially a bunch of pompous thugs behaving like Canadians need them. We don’t, and somebody should show them they can’t treat us like the second-class citizens they hire to do virtually all the work in their seven fiefdoms.

I am well aware that some critics argue that the Canadian government has been heavy handed in dealing with the U.A.E., as though we weren’t properly versed in the delicate ways one must handle trumped up royals.

I say we should deal with them the same way we did when they got haughty about the Canadian Forces flight-training program for the U.A.E. Air Force. That program was going fine until some member of a royal family flunked his flight test, and still wanted to be given qualifications to fly an aircraft. Our military wisely cancelled the training program when the U.A.E. told us that members and friends of a royal family should not be allowed to fail.
Related

Wait, you say. Weren’t the seven families who so ruthlessly rule the U.A.E. being jolly good chaps when they offered us a military base on their soil?

Well it wasn’t quite soil — it was unoccupied sand. And let’s keep in mind that our troops were using that stretch of sand to try to defuse terrorism in the region, with only the tiniest military contribution of about 200 “special forces” from the U.A.E..

The U.A.E. argues that denying its airlines more landing rights in Canada amounts to unfair protectionism of our own airlines, most notably, Air Canada. But the U.A.E. itself has two state-subsidized airlines that have bought themselves a bevy of huge aircraft that are eating a hole in the national treasury. They staff the airlines with underpriced help that can be fired at whim, and offer discounts on their visas if you fly on those airlines. Why kill off some Canadian jobs to the benefit of the high-spending U.A.E. treasury?

Finally, it should be noted that five years ago the U.S. Congress decided that it wouldn’t allow the U.A.E. to manage American ports through a state-owned company called Dubai Ports World.

Well, you know what? Dubai Ports World owns the company that runs container and break bulk terminals at the Port of Vancouver.

Note to the princes: “You want to keep that Vancouver contract and your current landing rights? Well then write us a letter within 30 days pledging that nobody connected to the royal families running your totalitarian governments is funding anti-Western terrorists, and we’ll check that out with our intelligence people. And meanwhile, start showing us some respect.”

Postmedia News

Colin Kenny is former chair of the Senate committee on national security and defence.

Read more: http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/201 ... z1BDrOLJlk

[cyeg66]

Doesn't mince words, does he? Fact of the matter is, diplomacy and not eye-for-eye is the better of the long term strategies. Anyone familiar with the topic isn't on the fence. There are the two definite and far apart factions that agree to disagree about who's right on the issue. I tend to side with whichever agreement benefits the Canadian economy or both economies equally because a whole lot more livelihoods of people I know depend on it. I couldn't give less of a rat's a$s about sending more money overseas to tax havens for the rich and self-indulgent.

Wow, where I first intended to appear neutral on the subject, that quickly devolved into kicking sand in the face of the spoiled brat.

[flyincanuck]

[Doc]

Agree with Kenny...100%!!!!
If we could just get the Yanks on board and ban them from North American airspace altogether?
Kick them out of Vancouver, for sure. Let the spoilt brats run the 380's 1/3 full. They can afford it.

[KAG]

Finally a Canadian politician who says what needs to be said.

[. ._]

I think the Senator is off base.

If we don't allow Saudis into North America, who will do all of the terrorist jobs? I'm sure as hell not gonna run around in my black pyjamas in the hot weather swinging from monkey bars, then blow myself up for a few measly virgins.

But then again, I hear they don't have to pay a training bond...

-istp

[bizjets101]

Click Here apparently Germany
is about to get in the mix with Emirates next!!!

click here hmmm, this one states Emirates is accusing the Canadian Government of instigating their problems with Lufthansa. Weird. Who knew we had that much clout!!!

[Siddley Hawker]

I think Kenny has it about right. Hard to believe he's a Liberal. I wonder if he vetted his comments with Bob Rae and Pravda?

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editoria ... for-canada

[CPLMike89]

Thanks god, Finally someone who calls them as he sees em. Git er done Kenny!

[shitdisturber]

Finally! A politician who gets it! Let the spoiled little princelings take their ball and go home!

[Doc]

That's as close to "FYYFF" I've ever seen someone from the government say.....Hope we'll stick to our guns on this.

[Johnny#5]

Good for him!

Dubai's just worried because oil consumption in the US is set to decrease with home-grown ethanol taking a bite out of their profits.

[Doc]

Good for him!

Dubai's just worried because oil consumption in the US is set to decrease with home-grown ethanol taking a bite out of their profits.

Did you know that your gas milage drops by the same % as the % of ethanol in your gas? The stuff is pure crap.
Sorry Sully...back on topic now....

[Siddley Hawker]

And don't mention what the increased acreage for the production of corn will do to the price of food.

[Doc]

And, it takes more energy to produce than you get out of it=huge carbon footprint.

[Johnny#5]

I bet my carbon footprint is bigger than yours!

[Boreas]

And, it takes more energy to produce than you get out of it

And just when we thought we could bypass the laws of thermodynamics...

[Doc]

I bet my carbon footprint is bigger than yours!

My carbon footprint is a thing of legends!

[Darkwing Duck]

That is excellent. Hopefully the Canadian airspace will soon be closed to those sand packers.

I have said it before, I will say it again. The UAE is the little dog in the big dog park. It wants to be heard so it keeps barking and barking and barking. The big dog is just going to turn and tell it to shut the hell up real quick.

[bmc]

Lufthansa is trying to put the brakes to Emirates growth in Germany:

http://www.thenational.ae/business/avia ... rom-berlin

I have to say that it is surprising that the UAE would take the measures it has against Canada. I wonder if their isn't more than meets the eye here. It's too heavy handed and uncharacteristic of this area, particularly against Canada.

[coreydotcom]

I have said it before, I will say it again. The UAE is the little dog in the big dog park.

Just an honest question: who is the big dog? certainly not AC?

[TTJJ]

Please excuse the thread drift.

Did you know that your gas milage drops by the same % as the % of ethanol in your gas? The stuff is pure crap.

Not true Doc.
Myself and tens of millions of other motorists in Brazil have been driving cars and motorcycles fueled with ethanol from sugar cane for over 20 years. It is sold at the pumps as either 100% ethanol or a 22% ethanol to gasoline mix. The driver picks what he/she wants depending on the local price.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_fu ... _emissions

And just to keep this airplane oriented, Embraer has so far built over 1,000 spray planes. Sinse 2004 its 320 HP Lycoming IO-540-K1J5 engine burns ethanol.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embraer_EMB_202_Ipanema

[RatherBeFlying]

Ethanol has a considerably lower energy density than ordinary gasoline -- according to Wikipedia the energy density of auto gas is 34.7 MJ/l while E10 is 33.18 a loss of about 3% in miles/gallon km/l or whatever.

Ethanol is more expensive here in Canada; so as usual we get to pay more for less.

[fish4life]

and due to the less energy ethanol gas mileage goes down way more in the winter due to it not being able to produce the same heat as well

[KAG]

Ethonal is not the way to go- useing food stocks to make fuel when there are people going hungry. Algae fuel show's potential and as a added bounus it's growth process consumes CO2.