Pork barrel politics on Salt Spring Island?

This just in from the public affairs department at Simon Fraser University, part of their regular e-mail updates to reporters to let us know what members of the faculty are standing by to comment on whatever the issue of the day is. in today's update, SFU political scientist Patrick Smith agrees with charges made by operators of some airports in B.C.'s interior that the federal Conservatives appear to be playing a little pork barrel politics on Salts Spring Island, in the riding of Gary Lunn, the minister of state for sport. From the SFU newsletter:

Small and regional airports in B.C.’s Interior are charging the federal government with playing pork barrel politics in its imposition of a new air security rules during the Olympics. Ottawa is forcing regional airports to divert flights to better equipped, larger airports if they don’t meet beefed up security requirements. While regional airports are expected to pay for the upgrade themselves, a tiny airport on Salt Spring Island has had full security installed, courtesy of the federal government. SFU political scientist Patrick Smith agrees with charges that Ottawa is favoring a riding held by Gary Lunn, the minister of sport in the Conservative federal government. “Prime Minister Harper is acting a lot like his predecessor Jean Chretien. The Liberals were grand at taking care of business while doing the nation’s business. The Conservatives are showing the same old signs.”

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