Business Travel U.S. bill on Cuba threatens Canadians’ travel
Business Travel U.S
THIS column has more to do with vacation trips than business travel. But most laptop luggers also take holidays and two of the biggest players in this drama are giants of both business and leisure travel. So here goes.
The right to travel, one of the basic rights that Canadians take for granted, is under threat from U.S. legislation.
Two of the largest travel agency chains in Canada — American Express and Carlson Wagonlit Travel — are American-owned. Normally that shouldn’t be a problem.
It becomes a cause for concern, however, if those companies refuse to sell certain travel agency to Canadians because of legislation enacted south of the border. Until earlier this year, American Express Canada did just that. In order to comply with a U.S. government law, it refused to sell travel to Cuba, one of the most popular winter sunshine destinations for Canadians. The agency chain relented only after Ottawa toughened the legislation that makes it illegal for Canadian citizens to comply with the American boycott.
Now the Carlson Wagonlit head office in Minneapolis has “broached the possibility of its Canadian operation dropping sales to Cuba,” according to a report in the authoritative industry newsletter Travelweek Bulletin. Douglas Cody, spokesman at U.S. headquarters refused to confirm or deny the published report.
“I can’t comment on what’s being discussed,” he said in an interview. “I can only tell you it is a very complicated situation. We are trying to be respectful of everyone’s interests.”
One other American-owned agency chain, Sears Travel Service, has no plans to discontinue the sale of Cuba “at this time,” according to spokeswoman Penny Kitson.
“We always try and provide our customers with the tours and destinations they want,” she said. “At this point Cuba is very popular.”
Asked if Cuba could be dropped in the future, she replied, “That’s all we’re prepared to talk about at this point.”
There is no question that American-owned travel chains face a dilemma. If they sell Cuban products in Canada they could face charges under Washington’s tough Helms-Burton bill, passed after Cuba shot down two planes operated by Cuban exiles. But if they take Cuba off the shelves, they could be fined under tit-for-tat legislation passed by Ottawa.
The choice, however, should be simple. If companies operate in Canada, they should obey Canadian law. Either that or sell their operations to Canadian owners.