Thank you very much, Mr. Minister. Wonderful. That saves us a lot of time.
Can we dive right in on a few fronts, Mr. Minister? I want to talk to you first about safety and security.
I think most Canadians believe Transport Canada is responsible for the safety and security of air, marine, rail, and road modes of transportation. You've just spoken to that yourself in your preliminary remarks. In your RPP, your report on plans and priorities, which you released four weeks ago, you stated that the number one indicator of progress in this is a “High level of public confidence in transportation safety and security”. That's the number one indicator of progress.
Over the past nine months we've heard report after report undermine that confidence. We've had rail accidents, breaches of security at Trudeau Airport, and consequent threats of criminal attribution to the journalists who undertook those breaches. We've seen changes in regulations that have gone unexplained, to alleged irregular operation of organized crime in our airports.
From our perspective, and with all due respect, I think it's your job to assure the public that in fact safety is increasing, given your own view that it's the number one indicator. My estimation now is that the public confidence in security and safety in transport is low and decreasing.
You've also said you are “developing a comprehensive program for enhancing air cargo and airmail security” under your national security policy.
I have a couple of questions on this front, if I might, Mr. Chairman.
First of all, can you tell us how far along this comprehensive plan is? Will it be made public? When will it be made public? Are there any new major capital expenditures planned to improve aviation security?
My own research, for example, indicates that cargo scanners that are used now to scan everything crossing the Canada–U.S. border by rail could be deployed at our airports at a cost of about $2 million a piece. In the case of a large airport like YVR in Vancouver, they need maybe three or four, according to the president and CEO there, to get 100% screening of cargo that right now goes unchecked.
You've known about this since Senator Kenny's report. You've had almost ten months at the helm as the Minister of Transport, and you are “exploring the expansion of requirements for background checks to a broader range of transportation workers”, according to your RPP, on page 38. Let's be honest here, Mr. Minister. Is this actually a priority of the government? Is security and safety in rail and air and other modes a priority? If it is, can you reconcile what's been happening for the past ten months with your plans to do something in the future?