Evidence of meeting #10 for Natural Resources in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was workers.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River, BC
I know, but the respondent was trying to answer another question, so I was trying to bring it back to where it was.
That's fine. I'm done.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's always interesting at natural resources.
I would like to thank the witnesses for coming here tonight. We deeply appreciate your testimony.
Ms. Dodd, we are very sorry for your loss. The testimony you're giving is very compelling, I think in part because of your personal connections.
I just want to note that subsequent to Ms. Duncan's comments about possible amendments and looking at a review, your comments have been very helpful. Those are amendments that we intend to bring in when we discuss this bill in the next few days.
We know that the Newfoundland and Labrador government supports an independent regulator. That issue has come up repeatedly because of the concerns that you, Ms. Payne, and Justice Wells mentioned on the potential for regulatory capture.
This has been helpful, but I would like to come to an unanswered question. The unanswered question that has been raised a number of times as we've gone through the hearings around this bill is the issue of the run-dry capability that the Transportation Safety Board very clearly indicated needed to be dealt with. Mr. Harris referenced it in his question as well. We have a Transportation Safety Board recommendation for a 30-minute run-dry capability. We know the implications of not having that, and yet there has been a resistance to implementing that.
When the C-NLOPB appeared before the committee, we asked them point blank why that had not been put into effect, and there was no clear answer. We've continued to ask this question. It appears that it may have something to do with cost, but we have not been able to confirm that.
We have an issue where clear action needs to be taken, and because of a lack of an independent safety regulator, potentially, there seems to be an inability to put into place what is common sense, particularly in light of the ongoing dangers in the offshore.
I would like to ask each one of you, do you think in some way it may be a lack of an independent safety regulator that is slowing down the implementation of the Transportation Safety Board's recommendation to have 30-minute run-dry capability for offshore helicopters?
5:10 p.m.
Atlantic Director, Unifor
I believe the regulator we have right now could say that the helicopter operating in our offshore should have a minimum of a 30-minute run-dry capability, but it refuses to do so. That's partly perhaps because the oil companies have a contract with Cougar Helicopters to provide transport service, and until that contract is up, we're stuck with it, which is quite unfortunate.
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Ms. Payne, do you think that may have something to do with the cost of breaking the contract? I'm trying to figure out what the reasons underneath that are.
5:10 p.m.
Atlantic Director, Unifor
We should be very clear about how much money these oil companies are making in our offshore. Thirty-seven per cent of Newfoundland and Labrador's GDP goes to corporate profits. A big portion of that 37% goes to oil companies. We can afford to have a higher standard helicopter operating in the offshore; we just do not have it at the moment.
I don't understand why we continue to have this discussion around the 30-minute run-dry technology and why our regulator hasn't already implemented it. I don't know if they're waiting until this contract is up. I don't know if they're blaming it on costs. There is no reason. This is a very profitable industry. At the very least, they could say that when this contract is up, this is going to be the requirement. That would be the minimum they could do.
5:15 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
It hasn't happened yet.
Ms. Pike or Ms. Dodd, do you have an answer to that question that we've been unable to get a response to?
5:15 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, The Maritimes Energy Association
I should point out that Cougar Helicopters is one of our member companies, but in fact, whether it's an independent safety division or not, there needs to be clarity as to whether Transport Canada has the regulatory authority to make those orders or whether the C-NLOPB or the CNSOPB has the regulatory authority to make those orders. I think that's what it comes down to.
We're sort of down into the weeds here a little bit I guess, but under the same line, we haven't discussed cutbacks to offshore or to search and rescue capabilities particularly in Newfoundland, if we want to be talking along those lines and down into the weeds like this.
5:15 p.m.
Assistant Professor of Humanities and Author, University of King's College, Nova Scotia, As an Individual
The question of these helicopters is far out of my area of competency, but I would reinforce raising the question about positioning the search and rescue helicopters and also about who should pay for them. It's not obvious to me that it should be coming directly from taxpayers. I see no reason why industry should not be called upon to provide a search and rescue station out of St. John's.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Ms. Crockatt, you can have one very short question, and it will need a short answer.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Joan Crockatt Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
I just want to address this, please, to Ms. Payne.
We had the benefit of having Justice Wells before the committee recently. He said that twenty-eight and a half out of twenty-nine recommendations that he had made were being implemented, that they were either already implemented or in the course of being implemented and that he wasn't fussed about that last one. He thought the way we were going was getting us to the same end. Overall are you happy with this report? Do you think it has dramatically improved safety in the offshore industry with Bill C-5?
5:15 p.m.
Atlantic Director, Unifor
Yes. I think this will be an improvement over what we currently have.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Thank you, Ms. Crockatt.
We're going to have to leave it at that.
I want to thank all three of witnesses very much for being here today. I think you've been very helpful in our study of this legislation. I wish you all the best and a very merry Christmas in particular.
We will suspend for a couple of minutes, but before I do that, Mr. Harris, to your point on the questioning time, you actually had ten and a half minutes in a seven-minute slot, which was by far the longest time, so I watch that and consider that. All the five-minute questions were very similar in length for time.
5:15 p.m.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
My only point was whether or not it was a point of order or not.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
It could be if I wanted to deal with it, but I didn't.
We will suspend for a minute or two.
[Proceedings continue in camera]