The Premier thinks that there is “common ground” between Canada and the UAE in the landing rights dispute. Possibly, but he’s keeping it a pretty good secret. It’s fairly clear the UAE wants things done on its terms and its terms only. Some reporters have called Air Canada hypocritical because it proposed a landing deal with Emirates Airline in 2006. But if you read the story carefully, the deal only fell apart because Emirates would not share profits with Air Canada from expanded access to Toronto airport. And it seems that the Germans, French and South Koreans have come to the same conclusion about Emirates, turning down expanded landing rights. Our relationship with the UAE may well be important. But the UAE is trying to bully us. Punitive visas, not for security reasons, but because we won’t give in. What common ground?
