Transport Committee on May 4th, 2010

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

By tabling it we would keep it on the docket to be brought forward at another time if the committee so chooses. It wouldn't necessarily push the motion off the table; it would push the debate further down, until we perhaps see where this private member's bill is going.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Ask for it to be called, Mr. Chair. We have a motion that's been put before us.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Okay. I'll call it, then.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Can I have a recorded vote, please?

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

We will have a recorded vote.

(Motion negatived: nays 7; yeas 1)

The motion does not carry.

On the second motion, Ms. Chow.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Chair, this is a motion that actually was put together with some of the urban transit authorities in different parts of the country.

It's asking this committee to look at urban transit needs in Canada and also to examine “the possibility of creating a National Public Transit Plan or Act”. I believe this has been discussed in another forum; I believe CUTA has been pushing for something of this nature.

Also, it asks that the committee look at the possibility of providing “long-term dedicated funds for public transit”. This has been done in the past by a former Liberal government; the gas tax, for example, has been used for public transit. The way it's done is not per capita but by ridership in terms of funding allocation.

There is a recent task force report from the urban transportation task force. This report was made public at the end of last year, and it has a lot of recommendations that I believe the committee would find interesting.

Lastly, CUTA has infrastructure needs, and there should be some discussion on this matter.

I'm putting this in front of you to discuss as committee business.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Thank you.

Mr. Volpe.

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chairman, some of these issues are valuable.

All of us have been lobbied by the Canadian urban transit people. I don't think any of us disagree with their issues.

In fact, I suspect that the government members opposite, in their submission--I guess it was about two weeks ago--that we modify the mandate for the high-speed rail to include the coordination of regional and urban transit systems into whatever system will be recommended by this committee in its study, already encompass all of the points made in this.

In fact, on the latter part of that study on high-speed rail, if my memory serves me correctly—you'll be able to correct me, Mr. Chairman, and if not you, certainly the clerk—the committee has already asked the steering committee to put aside at least one or two sessions in the closing of its study of high-speed rail to bring in witnesses on the integration of local transit authorities and regional transit authorities.

So I don't know what somebody is asking the committee to do that it's not already in the process of doing. I guess I'm in a position where...you can't say no to good weather, but we already have the good weather.

So I say thanks to the member from Trinity—Spadina, but at least as far as the three members of the Liberal Party are concerned, we've already committed ourselves to doing this, in principle and in fact.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Laframboise.

[Mario Laframboise, Bloc, Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC]

For my part, I would be prepared to amend Ms. Chow's motion, on the condition that she accept this friendly amendment that would be approved by all parties.

It would start as follows: "That the Committee examine". After the word "examine", we would add the following, "in its study on rapid rail". So the motion would read as follows, "That the Committee examine in its study on rapid rail Canada's urban transit needs in the following manner:".

All we need to add are the words, "in its study on rapid rail". If Ms. Chow agrees, all the parties could then agree on the amendment.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

It's friendly.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Jean.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Je suis d'accord. I think the suggestion of Monsieur Laframboise is ideal.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Ms. Chow, are you good with that?

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

That's fine. Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Volpe.

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Well, I'm not. We've already voted on this. I don't know how many times you want to vote on it. It's like saying that we have nothing to do at five minutes to eleven, so why don't we vote on the last vote again?

Let's be serious. We've already done this. We've already accepted it as part of our study, so let's carry on with business.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Jean.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Ms. Chow obviously wasn't at the steering committee. We discussed this motion that you brought forward--

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Yes.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

--and suggested that it be included in our interconnectivity--

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

That's fine.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

--because we've already, in fact, studied some of it and believe it's effective in the whole context of high-speed rail and interconnectivity.

I think that's what Mr. Volpe was trying to do, and Monsieur Laframboise was coming in with an olive branch, suggesting that simply to formalize it.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

I said that it was a friendly amendment and that I was definitely fine with that kind of amendment. It was very welcome. As you know, I'm not the regular member of this committee, and certainly it would be fine to fit it in with your high-speed rail discussion. It's not contradictory. It should work together.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Okay.

Seeing no more debate, I'm going to ask Monsieur Laframboise to repeat the friendly amendment one more time so we have it clarified.