Since its inception by the federal government over a decade ago, the air-rail link between Union Station and Pearson International Airport was never really debated.

Senior levels of government just told Toronto an air-rail link — a “Heathrow Airport Express”-style connection — was what we were getting.

But at the time it was to be private enterprise, and the words of the then-transportation minister David Collenette still ring today — “It won’t cost taxpayers a single nickel,” outside of a measly $300 million for GO train service upgrades.

Apparently not true, as we are now on the hook for more than $1 billion to put in rails and bridges and tunnels to accommodate the air-rail link.

Oh, but wait, Metrolinx tells us that money is so that GO train service can run on that line. Oh, but wait again, Metrolinx now tells us that the air-rail link will take up most of the capacity on that line. They will now need to spend even more money to run GO trains, at least another $400 million more. Some nickel.

So, we have gone from an initial public cost of $300 million to upgrade a line for GO service, with an air-rail link using “surplus capacity” on that line, to a billion dollars for the air-rail link and there won’t be enough surplus capacity to run all-day GO service.

How did this get turned upside down?

And when did we have the public debate on whether that was the best use of taxpayer money?

And let’s add the ignominy of using diesel trains. Oh wait, we have to, because there isn’t time to string wires before the 2015 Pan-Am Games. And our premier promised the Pan-Am organizers the air-rail link would be running in time for the Games. So we must run diesel for the first ever “green and sustainable” Pan-Am Games, as the organizers have called it.

Ironic isn’t it? Even more so when you hear that the athletes and officials will not be transported on the air-rail link. Nay nay, they will get a dedicated lane on Highway 427 and the Gardiner Expressway for the two weeks of the Games.

But it’s only diesel for a while — say, seven to nine years — says Metrolinx, and the trains are convertible or can be replaced and pressed into service on other GO routes. Oh wait, their platform height is incompatible with GO trains, so that won’t work. So why are we running diesel again? Why will we be the only country in the world using diesel trains instead of electric for an airport link? When was this public debate again?

Well, at least at a time when municipalities are tightening their belts and cutting public transit and raising fares, the province is spending money to build public transit. So we in the northwest of Toronto will have a little (diesel) train to ride to get downtown, and it will come by every 15 minutes.

Oh wait, it’s for business travellers only! We’ve now been told it will only be available for travel to and from the airport. Local citizens from stops in-between won’t be permitted to go downtown on the train. And the fares will be so high (“business class,” says Metrolinx) that only those with expense accounts will able to afford it. When was this public debate again?

The solution is so simple yet without public debate we’ll never get there.

First, it’s great that we are spending public money on public transit. But let’s make it truly public transit. The air-rail link corridor is a car-free right of way. Mayor Rob Ford should be jumping for joy that the province is putting in what amounts to a subway line without a nickel from the city.

But it’s only useful to the many residents who voted for him if the fares are reasonable and if there are a few more stops. And if it’s electric service, a few more stops won’t delay the business folks using it to get from the airport to downtown. Its use by ordinary Torontonians going to work will significantly increase ridership over what was originally planned — it would be a win-win!

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But that’s only my two cents. Perhaps Torontonians really believe we should be putting in an exclusive subway-like service for business folks. Until there’s a public debate, however, we’ll never know.

Mike Sullivan, a New Democrat, is MP for York South-Weston.

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