"Outrage over 'Trudeau Airport'; Liberals want ex-PM's name on Montreal's Dorval 'Like naming bloodbank after Dracula,' foes say"

Friday, August 22, 2003

Outrage over 'Trudeau Airport'; Liberals want ex-PM's name on Montreal's
Dorval 'Like naming bloodbank after Dracula,' foes say
Canada - The Toronto Star


MONTREAL, Within hours of the federal government's decision to rename
Montreal's main airport in honour of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau,
outraged hardline sovereignists set to work yesterday to scuttle the move.

"It's like giving Dracula's name to a blood bank," said Gilles Rheaume,
president of the Mouvement souverainiste du Quebec.

"This is pure provocation on the part of the Chretien government ... it's
taking Quebecers for fools."

Jean Dorion of the Montreal chapter of the Societe St-Jean-Baptiste was
equally blunt. "We're furious," said Dorion. "It's certainly very shocking
... there's a feeling of indignation."

Dorion noted the former prime minister's decision to implement the War
Measures Act during the 1970 Quebec terrorist kidnapping crisis is but only
one reason many sovereignists don't want to see Trudeau's name on something
as important as an international airport.

"An airport will give the world the impression that Quebec is accepting of
Pierre Elliott Trudeau's legacy, which is not true."

Dorion and Rheaume both pledged to vehemently fight the government's
decision, which will become official Sept. 9. However, they refused to
reveal details. 

Transport Minister David Collenette announced the plan yesterday during the
Liberal caucus meeting in North Bay, Ont. He said the name change was
approved by Trudeau's two sons.

"I spoke to Sacha Trudeau a couple of times last week and he was absolutely
delighted," said Collenette.

Trudeau was responsible for the building of loss-making Mirabel airport
north of Montreal, which will close to all passenger traffic by next year.

Montreal-Dorval International Airport, which will be rechristened with
Trudeau's name, lies in the former suburb of Dorval and is administered by
the same airport authority as Mirabel.

The former prime minister's legacy is still hotly debated in Quebec nearly
three years after his death of cancer on Sept. 28, 2000. Separatists still
see him as the man who thwarted Quebec's aspirations for independence.
Federalists believe he made Quebecers and the French language pivotal to the
daily functioning of the federal government.

Prime Minister Jean Chretien said he was sure Quebecers will welcome the
name change.

"They're going to be delighted," said Chretien, who has also been a
polarizing figure in Quebec throughout his career. 

"I think it's a marvellous way of honouring a great Canadian."

Marc Lalonde, a close friend of Trudeau and who also served in his cabinet,
called the decision "unexpected but very welcome and long overdue."

He said an airport is a fitting tribute because other big-city airports are
named for political leaders, such as Charles de Gaulle in Paris, John F.
Kennedy in New York and Pearson International Airport in Toronto.

And he's just glad something is finally being done in Trudeau's home town.

"These things always take time, but I must say I felt a little disappointed
that up to now we had nothing done in the Montreal area since his passing
away to recognize his name and his contribution," Lalonde said in an
interview.

"I think it's quite, quite appropriate that there be some site that would
constitute making him part of our living history." 

Lalonde said he also hopes to see a national park, river, mountain or other
natural landmark named after his friend to commemorate his well-known love
of the Canadian outdoors.

Trudeau led the country between 1968 and 1979 and again from 1980-84. He
died at the age of 80 in Montreal.

The federal government had considered renaming Mount Logan, the highest peak
in the Yukon, after Trudeau shortly after his death. 

But it quashed the idea in the face of angry public reaction because the
mountain had been named after Sir William Logan, the esteemed Canadian
scientist who founded the Geological Survey of Canada.

Collenette said Ottawa did not consult the Quebec government about the name
change.

However, Quebec Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Benoit Pelletier
supported the plan.

"Although I did not agree with all of Mr. Trudeau's ideas in the political
debate I think he was a great Canadian and he was a great Quebecer too,"
Pelletier said in an interview.

He dismissed suggestions by Rheaume that a Trudeau International Airport
could become a target for vandalism and graffiti.

"I'm sure Quebecers are mature enough to have one of their institutions
named after one of our great leaders even if we did not agree in the past
with all of his ideas," said Pelletier.

Parti Quebecois Leader Bernard Landry declined to comment yesterday.


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