Transport Committee on June 6th, 2023

[Patrick Bousez]

That would definitely help us a lot, but even when telephone books were available, they work accessible to everyone because there were private numbers at the time.

Would that help us? Yes. Otherwise, are there any apps for contacting people? Yes, there are. We have some; I won't name any names, but we're asking our fellow citizens to sign into them. They give us their contact information. That's one thing, but when the message is sent out, it won't reach anyone if the telecommunications towers are down.

So it's good to have our fellow citizens' contact information. That's what we try to do. In addition, every time someone moves to our MRC, we always try to project the best image and provide the most details, but they aren't obliged to give us that information.

Should they have to provide a minimum amount of information to the municipality? I think so, but, once again, there are no more land lines; the major problem remains the resilience of the telecommunications network. We travelled to the moon in the late 1960s, and we're incapable of establishing a telephone network that operates across the country. It makes no sense.

That's why I emphasize that this is where our radio communicators should invest. This is a federal jurisdiction. We should require them to invest. It's not normal that we went to the moon with the equivalent of a 386 computer and we were able to communicate. This is now 2023, and we can't do it anymore.

When I left home, 90 minutes from here, I lost the network signal three times. We were trying to speak over the telephone. We live in a big country; I agree. However, it's not normal for us to be unable to communicate at all times. There were no extreme winds; it was a normal day. Imagine what happens when two or three telecommunications towers go down. We really need to emphasize that point.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you, Mr. Bousez and Mr. Barsalou-Duval.

If the committee is in agreement, before I turn the floor over for the final line of questioning by Ms. Zarrillo, I'd like to officially request to the telecommunications companies that they submit a written response to the committee with regard to why, for the period of five to six days, millions of Quebeckers were without cell service.

It's not to lay blame; it's to fully understand what infrastructure challenges we are facing right now such that in 2023 we're still experiencing this. It causes elected officials to experience significant challenges when we're trying to serve our population during crisis.

Is the committee in agreement?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

With that, I will turn the floor over to Ms. Zarrillo for the final line of questioning.

You have three minutes.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Thank you so much.

I'm going to start by asking Mr. Ness to revisit the “Due North” report.

The “Due North” report says, “Transformative adaptation is needed to address the Northern infrastructure gap and worsening climate impacts.” It goes on to talk about “fundamentally rethink[ing] how infrastructure is built in the North, for Northerners.”

I wonder, Mr. Ness, if you have some examples for us of how it's different. What are the gaps and what needs to be done quickly up in northern communities?

[Ryan Ness]

That particular recommendation in “Due North” was recognizing that much of the infrastructure that exists in the north right now will not be viable in the future. Much of it is built on permafrost, which will thaw permanently. It will be gone. It will leave unsuitable, unstable soil beneath it. Infrastructure in many ways will have to be a do-over.

It is an opportunity to rethink the infrastructure that northerners need. Much of their existing infrastructure was not designed with them in mind or with their input. This is a chance to design their communities in a way and in places that make sense for them, and to design them so that they are also resilient to the long-term impacts of climate change, whether that be new ways of getting around the north that don't rely on winter roads—which again, will not be viable in much of the north for much longer—or new ways of constructing buildings. New ways of air transport, even, are being discussed in the north.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Thank you for that.

I'm going to ask the mayor of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu about jurisdiction shared with our neighbours in the south when it comes to water.

I know a portion of the flooding that happened in the Fraser Valley from the atmospheric rivers came up from waterways in the south, in the United States. There are some conversations now about shared jurisdiction on water.

I note that you are also on a very large body of water. I wonder if there are shared jurisdiction conversations that you've had and if you have any concerns about flooding that could come from the south.

[Andrée Bouchard]

Absolutely.

We're in contact with Vermont right now because we share Lake Champlain. Consequently, people from Vermont sit on our steering committee.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Is there a federal representative? You talked about a steering committee. Is there a Canadian federal representative on that steering committee?

[Andrée Bouchard]

That's a piece of information that I don't have right now. I think so, but I can't confirm that for you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you very much, Mrs. Bouchard.

Thank you very much, Ms. Zarrillo.

I'd like to take the opportunity to thank all of our witnesses for appearing before committee today and contributing to this very important study.

With that, this meeting is adjourned.