Conservative leadership candidate Maxime Bernier laid out a four-point plan on Wednesday to reform Canadian air travel, including the privatization of airports and the elimination of foreign ownership restrictions for commercial airlines.

“I’m saying the model…in Canada doesn’t work. We cannot do worse than we’re doing right now in Canada,” Bernier told reporters.

Since he announced his candidacy for the Tory leadership, Bernier has also called for a free trade agreement with China and the dismantling of supply management.

“If I’m elected leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and ultimately prime minister of Canada, I will remove the burden of excessive taxes, privatize the airports, encourage more investment, and open the sector to more competition,” Bernier said Wednesday. “In other words, I will let entrepreneurs and free markets play their role fully in order to bring more options, better services, and lower prices for Canadian consumers.”

The first step in Bernier’s plan — the privatization of Canada’s airports — is necessary, Bernier argued, because the Canadian government continues to treat airports like cash cows.

“In the 1990s, Ottawa transferred the management of 26 airports to non-profit airport authorities. But it retained ownership of the land and asset and has been charging excessive airport rent since then,” he said.

According to former cabinet minister David Emerson’s review of the Canada Transportation Act, published last February, Ottawa has collected $5 billion in airport rent since 1992. Bernier said those rents represent up to 30 per cent of airport operating costs and are passed on to consumers.

Toronto’s Pearson Airport, Canada’s busiest, charges the fourth-highest landing fees in the world, Bernier added.

“A lot of Canadians don’t take the plane or do it rarely because they find it too expensive. Others cross the American border because it’s cheaper there,” he said.

In addition, Bernier would like to see the end of foreign ownership limits for commercial airlines.

Emerson’s review suggested raising the foreign ownership threshold from the current 25 per cent up to 49 per cent.

“Canada is among the developed countries least friendly to foreign investors. And we are also the only major market in the world not served by ultra low-cost airlines, because they cannot get the necessary funding in Canada,” Bernier said.

He highlighted Jetlines Ltd and Enerjet as companies that would immediately benefit from foreign capital.

“This is why I will eliminate the 25 per cent ownership limit. But why stop at 49 per cent? Australia and New Zealand allow 100 per cent foreign ownership for airlines that operate domestic services,” he said.

Bernier’s third point was that the Liberal government’s decision to ban jets from Toronto’s Billy Bishop island airport was a mistake that needs to be overturned.

In March, the Conservatives used an opposition day motion to push the Liberals to do just that. Porter Airlines had previously discussed ordering up to 30 Bombardier C-Series jets, an order worth roughly $2 billion, if the expansion plans were allowed.

With the expansion, Porter could have offered routes to Vancouver, California, and the Caribbean.

“Last November, the Liberal transport minister announced that he will not allow it. This was a reckless and unjustified decision,” Bernier said.

Finally, Bernier wants Canada to pursue more open skies agreements with other countries, which would allow for more flights between Canadian cities and foreign destinations.

“As the Emerson report notes, Canada’s policy until now has been to focus on protecting Air Canada and WestJet from too much competition on international routes. Because of this, Canadians have fewer options when traveling abroad. This contrasts with the policies of most other developed countries,” he said.

“I would announce a real open-sky policy agenda. It is time to put consumers interests first.”