Category: Facts

Transform Pickering: The Airport Perspective

Mark Brooks

By Mark Brooks and Ted Nickerson On November 18, 2020, the Urban Land Institute (ULI) held a virtual event called “Transform Pickering: Big Moves in the GTA’s Frontier City”.  Moderated by Emma Ward (Bousfield Inc), the session provided a forum for Dave Ryan, Mayor City of Pickering, assisted by Paula Bustard, Fiaz Jadoon, and Johan Van’t Hof, to present key strategic projects and the long-term vision that will fundamentally transform the City of Pickering.   The City’s vision […]

Pickering Airport, Social Media and Censorship in the Post Truth world

Mark Brooks

By Mark Brooks Only a few years ago, booting someone from an online discussion for politely suggesting alternative views or new facts was considered unthinkable censorship. The free exchange of ideas and views points in an organized manner is considered the basis of democracy. But today, deleting a comment or banning a user is easy […]

Who is funding Anti-Airport Politics in Pickering?

Mark Brooks

By Mark Brooks Today, five of the six local municipal governments, including the city of Pickering, support building  a new airport and economic development zone. But aviation is a federal jurisdiction and one of the local Members of Parliament, Jennifer O’Connell, is opposed. The new airport, to be built on land already set aside for it […]

They Have Crossed the Line!

Mark Brooks

By Ted Nickerson A local pilot noticed during a training flight what appears to be a substantial construction project underway on the federal Pickering Airport Lands. The pilot, Mark Brooks, posted the photo on social media. Naturally, this gets the immediate attention of Pickering Airport supporters.  What is this? Does it negatively impact a future airport? […]

Is an MP authorized E-Petition promoting Misinformation to reward supporters?

Mark Brooks

Written by Mark Brooks The hubris of a new E-petition authorized by Member of Parliament Jennifer O’Connell is raising eyebrows on both sides of the Canadian House of Commons.  The reason?  It appears to twists the findings of a government report and use misdirection in the wording of the petition.  The petition asks the government to transfer a […]

Who is Leasing the Pickering Airport Lands?

Mark Brooks

By Mark Brooks In response to a Freedom of Information request, we have received the list of leaseholders for the Pickering lands retained for economic development, including an airport. A big thank you and shout–out to Transport Canada for doing what they could on this politically–charged topic.  Although heavily redacted, the response provides enough information […]

Supporting Aviation Key to Canada’s Pandemic Recovery

Mark Brooks

  Written by Mark Brooks, Oct 5 2020. The Canadian economy is in recession, the planet is on fire, racial injustice has been laid bare and a global pandemic threatens to kill our most vulnerable citizens.  As 2020 turns into a dumpster fire of a year overburdened with multiple crisis, or are they related, and which […]

The New Aircraft of Pickering Airport: A Quest for Efficiency  

Mark Brooks

Mark Brooks, Sept 17, 2020 In 2029, Pickering Airport will be open. What type of aircraft will call it home? To answer that question, we need to understand two of the forces driving the need for the new airport. One is the economic freedom behind the success of the municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area, the immigration it attracts and […]

Misinformation to Stall Airport

Mark Brooks

by Mark Brooks A citizen, worried that the pandemic is being used as cover to reward insiders, writes a letter to his Liberal MP.  The reply he received was laced with misinformation and should worry every Canadian. It highlights the lack of leadership and wishful thinking now delaying the development of new infrastructure in Canada.  In […]

A call for Transparency on Government land leases

Mark Brooks

It reads like a B-movie script for a government scandal. A billion dollars in government land leased out to a select few, mostly unknown, insiders well below market rates.  Brave local mayors and town councils harassed at every turn as they fight to get the attention of a distant uncaring federal government. The local citizen […]