Finance committee  It's true that it provides a central mechanism for prepublishing everything. However, if you look at what happens in practice in the regulatory process, you find that the motor vehicle crowd are interested in what's happening in motor vehicle regulations and they're not interested in what's happening in forestry.

Finance committee  When draft regulations are pre-published in the Canada Gazette, the entire regulations have to pre-published. Realistically, about 70% or perhaps 50% of regulations have a very minor impact and hold very little interest for the people affected by them. This may include amendment regulations that correct an issue caused by a discrepancy between English and French versions.

Finance committee  We shouldn't presume that the part I of the Canada Gazette is the only means by which the government can give notice of its proposed regulatory intentions. There is a requirement for government departments to publish, on their websites, regulatory initiatives that they are going to be working on in the very near future.

Transport committee  Well, Mr. Chair, the Canada Gazette process is a process of giving notice. Everything else about our respective regulatory processes—the testing, economic analysis, and review of risks—continues to happen. Nothing else changes. This is really talking about eliminating where it is justified, according to cabinet's criteria, the notice in the Canada Gazette, part I.

Transport committee  They are actually in the cabinet directive on regulatory management.

Transport committee  Absolutely.

Transport committee  Well, Mr. Chair, I don't think we're making this amendment to deal with urgencies specifically. The minister has emergency powers. We just issued an emergency directive to VIA Rail, for example. This is not to expedite the regulatory process where it shouldn't be expedited. This is just giving cabinet the option of forgoing notice in the Canada Gazette, part I, when there's really no justifiable reason for doing so any more.

Transport committee  That would be determined by cabinet on the basis of the criteria in the cabinet directive.

Transport committee  Mr. Chair, that particular initiative is actually one where Canada is aligning with the U.S. standard, I believe. I can't speak to the specific initiative, or any of the initiatives for that matter, since I'm not working in those programs. But it may well be that under the appropriate enabling legislation there is no requirement to prepublish, as is the case in most federal statutes.

Transport committee  Regarding the stakeholders, it depends on the industry.

Transport committee  We didn't do a cost analysis, but in the fall of 2013 the RCC secretariat in the Privy Council Office consulted stakeholders across a wide spectrum of industries. Based on the response of stakeholders on the popularity of the RCC alignment initiative, what they've been telling us is that to the extent we can align, that makes it easier for them to do business on both sides of the border.

Transport committee  Yes, that's absolutely true, because what happens with alignment is that you get a higher and higher level of standards for safety and security, but you get it in a more cost-effective, cost-efficient way. It's more safety for less money.

Transport committee  Well, if you're talking about rail safety, the Advisory Council on Rail Safety is made up of multiple players. It's made up of the municipalities, transportation companies, and rail companies, obviously—CN, CP, and VIA. I mentioned municipalities and people who transport goods and people on the rail lines.

Transport committee  Well, they would probably, I guess, learn things, Mr. Chair, through their fellow members of Parliament and the minister.

Transport committee  To formally consult parliamentarians?