Evidence of meeting #3 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was regulations.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
Lois Brown Conservative Newmarket—Aurora, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
This is a question more for the record than anything else. Everything we've talked about today is about risk management, and we're putting in place the things we need to do in order to prevent catastrophic incidents happening. But I wonder, for the record, if you could tell us how the emergency response assistance plan works.
5:20 p.m.
Special Advisor to Director, Operations, Department of Transport
The emergency response assistance plan is a requirement in regulations since 1985. Basically it establishes the criteria that if you wish to offer for transport, handle, or import dangerous goods that are the most dangerous of dangerous goods, basically those that have reach, those that can cause problems outside of just the accident itself--and you get into all kinds of different chemicals, biological, radioactive, nuclear, explosives--all of those are required to have an emergency response assistance plan.
A company must take a look at its geographic region in relation to where it's going to transport those dangerous goods. It needs to be able to demonstrate to us that it understands what it has, it has the equipment and the technical expertise available 24 hours a day, and that it can respond within a certain timeframe to be able to help first responders should first responders need some help. They need to have the right equipment, be it non-sparking tools, be it the right suits, be it whatever that might be complementary to responding to their particular product. All these things are tied into regulation, right down to what communication equipment you're using and what techniques you're going to utilize, that you have 24-hour technical assistance on the phone, and that you can activate this plan as per requirement.
We go out and review those plans. We audit those plans to make sure they meet the requirements of the regulations and that we're satisfied they could be used effectively in a response, and then that plan is approved and that plan is available for people to utilize when transporting dangerous goods.
With these particular goods, if you do not have an emergency response assistance plan, you cannot transport dangerous goods of those natures--the chemical, biological, radioactive, nuclear, explosives--unless you have an approved plan.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
Thank you.
With the short time we have left, I'll thank our guests for being here today. We certainly have some other witnesses coming forward over the next few meetings, so I appreciate your time and your efforts today.
For the committee members, I want to give you a heads-up for Thursday. We have a full agenda. We have the Canadian Chemical Producers' Association, we have the Teamsters, we have the Canadian Trucking Alliance, and we're waiting for confirmation on one other organization.
I just want to advise members that we are pushing forward, so if you're thinking of amendments or other things you might want to do, you might want to start preparing for that.
On Tuesday of next week we have NavCanada coming. Pending how many other people we contact who accept our invitation to appear on Bill C-9, we could see them on Thursday, March 6, or perhaps be looking at clause-by-clause at some point on that day.
Monsieur Laframboise.
5:25 p.m.
Bloc
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
I am aware that we have not been provided with the list of witnesses for discussion or anything. I submitted a list of witnesses, some of whom could not be here. But there is a group that I wish could have joined us. Do you intend to discuss the witnesses? I would like to bring the group Equiterre to your attention for an environmental perspective. I have no problem with the bill, but I would like to have heard that group’s views on its ecological impact. I would have liked Equiterre to have been invited, that’s all.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
I appreciate the comments.
Through Maxime, the clerk, we've asked everybody to submit names. We're still contacting a few more. Équiterre is definitely on our list to call.
Some are saying they are unable to come, but they'll send us a written document, and others are saying yes or no.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
Any other comments from committee members?
If not, the meeting is adjourned, and we'll see you on Thursday.