Canada: Garneau faces resistance from Senate on air passenger bill of rights

Marc Garneau’s hope the Senate would approve an air passenger rights bill by Christmas failed to take off Tuesday during a hearing marked by strong rebukes and a fiery exchange between the transport minister and a former Liberal party operative. The Liberals had been pushing the upper chamber to pass a transportation bill that would set the stage for a new air passenger bill of rights, make changes to rail safety rules and affect grain shipments. Transport committee members, however, killed any hope Garneau had of convincing them to fast-track the legislation, putting off until next year any changes. Garneau blamed the media for the perception that the legislation, once passed, would itself enact a passenger bill of rights, rather than simply clear the way for one. <br/>