Evidence of meeting #24 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was safety.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

David Marit  President, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities
Mervin Tweed  President, OmniTRAX Canada
Jacques Demers  Mayor, Municipalité de Sainte-Catherine-de-Hatley, As an Individual
Emile Therien  Past President, Canada Safety Council, As an Individual

10:35 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Larry Miller

You have another three minutes on this side, if anyone cares to....

Ms. Young, go ahead.

10:35 a.m.

Conservative

Wai Young Conservative Vancouver South, BC

Just because some of them didn't get a chance to answer my question around the transloading issue, maybe I'll just give Mr. Marit and Mr. Therien each a minute and a half to respond.

10:35 a.m.

President, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities

David Marit

The transloading issue is something that we're also concerned about in the province. As I said, we're getting a lot of approvals on almost a weekly basis, but these have to go to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs for approval, and then there is the communication with the municipality on that.

As Mr. Tweed said, all of the transloading facilities are on the railway right of way on that property. It's just to let the municipalities know that there's one coming into their municipality.

10:35 a.m.

Conservative

Wai Young Conservative Vancouver South, BC

Is there a standard, a response plan, and all of that stuff as part of that?

10:40 a.m.

President, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities

David Marit

No, there isn't. But the industry in the province of Saskatchewan, and I'm talking about the oil industry, seems to be working very well in the oil resource areas with the transporter of their product by having the resources available in the event of an incident.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

Wai Young Conservative Vancouver South, BC

Thank you.

May 1st, 2014 / 10:40 a.m.

Past President, Canada Safety Council, As an Individual

Emile Therien

I'm a member of the general advisory council on the transportation of dangerous goods. If my memory serves me correctly, this was an issue for the council going back years. I forget exactly what happened, but you might want to refer to that council in terms of the discussion or the determination, whatever came of it.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

Wai Young Conservative Vancouver South, BC

Okay.

Mr. Chair, maybe that's something we can follow up on. That would be a very interesting study.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Larry Miller

How would you like to follow up?

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

Wai Young Conservative Vancouver South, BC

Just to get information on this whole....

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Larry Miller

On transloading?

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

Wai Young Conservative Vancouver South, BC

Yes.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Larry Miller

Actually, the analyst during the meeting told me that she's working on something.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

Wai Young Conservative Vancouver South, BC

Oh, great. Fabulous.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Larry Miller

She was reading your mind, I guess.

Gentlemen, thank you very much for being here.

Mr. Demers, coming from a municipal background, I always find it refreshing to see a politician at any level with what I would call a common sense approach. I appreciate that.

I appreciate the comments from all of you.

Thanks for being here.

The meeting is adjourned.