Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau is directing the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) to strengthen rules that require airlines to refund passengers for cancelled flights. In a statement Monday, Garneau said the pandemic has highlighted a gap in Canada’s protections for airline passengers, which weren’t designed to cover such lengthy delays. “In the event of a future situation that causes similar large-scale flight cancellations, this gap needs to be closed so that travellers are treated fairly,” Garneau said. The announcement comes as various consumer groups lobby the government to mandate that airlines issue cash refunds, rather than travel vouchers, for flights that were cancelled due to COVID-19. Scott Streiner, chair and chief executive officer of the CTA, said the agency’s goal is to have the new regulations in place by next summer. One of the biggest details to be worked out between now and then include how long customers have to …