Questions on the Order Paper  Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada recognizes that Canadians rely on air transport more than many other countries to conduct business and connect with friends and family. Air transport also provides essential goods and services to regional and remote communities. Air transport in Canada is provided in the context of the country’s vastness and thinly distributed population, which make economies of scale more difficult to generate than other jurisdictions such as the United States, particularly with regard to many small, northern or otherwise remote communities.

Questions on the Order Paper  Mr. Speaker, with regard to parts (a) and (b), the requested information is confidential due to its commercial nature. With regard to part (c), as per the new agreement, Canadian North must limit average annual regional fare increases for both passenger and cargo transportation to 25% per region within a calendar year unless it can be demonstrated to the Minister of Transport that this limit would result in operational losses to the company.

Questions on the Order Paper  Mr. Speaker, with regard to part (a), under the airports capital assistance program, 39 projects have received funding in Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and Yukon since 2015. The total value of these projects was $73.7 million. Any grants or contributions awarded are reported to Canadians through the federal proactive disclosure process, which can be accessed at the following web page: https://open.canada.ca/proactive-disclosure.

Questions on the Order Paper  Mr. Speaker, with regard to part (a), no compliance issues were identified. However, it should be noted that Canadian North was exempt from its scheduling obligations from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, April 2020, to the implementation of the new terms and conditions, April 2023.

Air Transportation  Mr. Speaker, my hon. friend is correct. The aviation sector around the world has experienced significant disruptions over the last couple of years, and Canadian workers and travellers have felt it here at home. We promised Canadians to take action on lessons learned. So far, we have strengthened passenger protection rights.

Enhancing Transparency and Accountability in the Transportation System Act  moved for leave to introduce Bill C-52, An Act to enact the Air Transportation Accountability Act and to amend the Canada Transportation Act and the Canada Marine Act. (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Strengthening the Port System and Railway Safety in Canada Act  Mr. Speaker, let me make this point: I am enthusiastic about this bill, not because it is my baby, but because it would improve the lives of Canadians. It would get things done; it would improve the congestion at ports; it would improve accountability and transparency; and it would address the climate issue.

Strengthening the Port System and Railway Safety in Canada Act  Mr. Speaker, the democratic process will take its course in the House of Commons, but I wish the Conservatives were not filibustering. I wish the Conservatives were not putting obstacles against the interests of Canadians, against ensuring that ports are working better. Every party in this chamber claims to represent the interests of workers, but Canadians are smart and they know what people are saying.

Strengthening the Port System and Railway Safety in Canada Act  Mr. Speaker, I often remind ports, including the Port of Vancouver, that they are public institutions. They are there to serve the public and they are there to ensure that they pay attention to their constituents and their stakeholders. This bill would do several things, but let me address a couple of points the bill proposes that could help with the matter that my hon. colleague has raised.

Strengthening the Port System and Railway Safety in Canada Act  Mr. Speaker, I deeply respect my colleague. I know he, as the former critic of supply chain, worked hard on the fluidity and health of our supply chains. I am also concerned about the ongoing negotiations on the west coast with unions and the B.C. Maritime Employers Association.

Strengthening the Port System and Railway Safety in Canada Act  Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague. Those who work in the labour sector and represent workers have a unique perspective that can benefit the operations of our institutions, including ports. I want to express to my colleague my willingness and our government's willingness to work with him on advancing this principle he talked about.

Strengthening the Port System and Railway Safety in Canada Act  Mr. Speaker, we would expect Conservatives to at least use some humility when they talk about time allocation, because we know what the Conservative Party did when it was in power. How many times did it use or misuse time allocation? Now it is upset to see different parties within this chamber working together on a plan to improve the lives of Canadians.

Strengthening the Port System and Railway Safety in Canada Act  Mr. Speaker, it is really important to remind Canadians of what the Conservative Party stands for. The Conservative leader claims to speak on behalf of the working people. He claims to employ common sense. That could not be further from the truth. The Conservatives are trying to undermine the role of unions in protecting the interests of Canadian workers.

Strengthening the Port System and Railway Safety in Canada Act  Mr. Speaker, I agree. Do not take it from me; it is the leader of the Conservative Party who has publicly been telling Canadians that he is going to filibuster and delay and cause havoc here in the House of Commons, instead of focusing on the country's business and on what Canadians need and deserve.

Strengthening the Port System and Railway Safety in Canada Act  Mr. Speaker, I agree that this is not the idea of an eye for an eye at all. We continued to exhaust all options, including sitting until midnight. We have been providing members of Parliament here ample opportunities to debate, to express their opinion and express the opinion of their constituents on many occasions.