Dorval airport to be renamed to honour Trudeau
Last Updated: Friday, August 22, 2003 | 6:41 AM ET
CBC News
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A formal ceremony to officially change the name of Dorval International Airport is expected to take place in September.
Transport Minister David Collenette made the announcement at the Liberal caucus retreat on Thursday. He said the name-change has the blessing of Trudeau's family.
Since airports are a federal jurisdiction, it was not necessary to consult with the Quebec government on this move, but Collenette said, "I believe they will be quite supportive."
One person who took offense to the planned name-change is Gilles Rheaume, president of the Mouvement souverainiste du Quebec.
"It's like giving Dracula's name to a blood bank," he said. "This is pure provocation on the part of the Chrétien government...it's taking Quebecers for fools."
Quebec's Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Benoit Pelletier dismissed Rheaume's reaction saying, "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."
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien said Ottawa has renamed several airports after memorable Canadian politicians. In Toronto, there's the Lester B. Pearson airport and in Saskatoon, the John G. Diefenbaker airport.
In 2000, the government wanted to rename Mount Logan in the Yukon after Trudeau, but it abandoned the idea after the move caused controversy.
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