Transport committee  No, sir. Not in British Columbia.

Transport committee  At this time, no. They come under a standard of care, but 12,500 metric tons is mainly for home heating oil. It's domestic traffic.

Transport committee  Answering as a B.C. coast pilot, whatever the government decides on the moratorium, or Bill C-48, the pilots will only move the product if it can be done safely. It's not our role to have personal opinions on such matters. We can be trusted to carry out all of our commitments responsibly and with the utmost regard to safety.

Transport committee  With the amendments to the Pilotage Act, I think the golden moment through this whole two-year-long and very tiresome process was that the principles of pilotage—meaning unbiased independence—were enshrined. That was a fall-on-the-sword issue for us. Going forward, when you're talking about mitigation, with the commitment to revamping risk assessment into a more streamlined process, I know that industry is worried about costs, and pilots less so.

Transport committee  We were very comfortable when we saw the preamble purpose clause included in the act. We spent a lot of time within the coastal communities and there was a grey area or a vacuum about who the pilots serve. The impression with the communities was that somehow the pilots serve industry exclusively, whereas actually pilotage serves the people of Canada, the environment and public safety, in the same context that we all promote the economic well-being of Canada.

Transport committee  That's correct.

Transport committee  Yes, we do.

Transport committee  Again, we expect this process or the discussions over the next couple of years will be lengthy and in-depth. In British Columbia, we deal with foreign shipping almost exclusively. The challenge would be for the foreign chief officer or foreign master to gain the required sea time or required local knowledge.

Transport committee  Yes, there is.

Transport committee  That's a good question, Mr. Hardie. Back in 1998-99, in negotiations with Transport Canada, we gave away our right to withdraw services. We are now under a final offer settlement process where tariff increases can be objected at any stage. We negotiate transparently with industry and the authorities.

Transport committee  True. Technology has allowed pilots to do more of what we're good at, and that's situational awareness, i.e., looking out the window. Technology has improved efficiency. Particularly I think in the Bernier report, his biggest concern was that you don't have vessels loitering outside of a harbour waiting to come in.

Transport committee  Yes. For the efficient and expeditious movement of vessels, pilots were already developing processes and technology to give us better decision-making tools. I know we work closely with the port in our own district in First Narrows where we're now putting ultra large cruise vessels in the port, which is closing the Narrows to further shipping.

Transport committee  Madam Chair and honourable members of the committee, thank you for having the B.C. Coast Pilots at this meeting. Captain Stewart and I are both licensed B.C. coast pilots. It's a company of local experts dedicated to protecting our coast, since the mid-1800s, by supplying unbiased, independent expertise on behalf of the government, the people, to the shipping industry.

Transport committee  Oh, I'm sorry. None of the findings were reflected in Mr. Grégoire's report, and to this day we don't understand why. I'll leave it there, sir.

Transport committee  For the pilots, the oceans protection plan is a gift to British Columbia. When the OPP came out.... The principles of the OPP—improving marine safety, promoting responsible shipping, protecting the environment, strengthening our outreach to first nations—are all key values of pilotage.