Thank you, Mr. Chair, for the invitation.
Thank you as well to the committee members for your work on this issue.
My name is René Roy, and I am the chair of the Canadian Pork Council. Joining me this morning is Eric Schwindt, a member of the Canadian Pork Council board of directors and a producer from Ontario.
We are eager to offer our counsel to the committee on this file for two reasons.
On the one hand, we understand how important regulations are to this part of our industry. We take the welfare of animals seriously when it comes to transportation issues, and we have been actively engaged with every process looking at how we can make this part of our industry safer and more secure.
On the other hand, this is a case where rigid regulations can have a negative impact on the very animals we have been trying to protect. Transportation is stressful on the animals, and a rigid limit on driver hours can mean pigs will have to be unloaded or stopped 30 minutes or an hour from their destination, increasing their stress and causing them needless complications.
We are not seeking an exemption from hours of service requirements or from electronic logging devices. Instead, we are simply asking for flexibility in enforcement in unforeseen circumstances and clear communication of said flexibility.
Currently, drivers are put in a difficult situation of either complying with hours of service regulations or doing what they know is best for the welfare of the animals in their care, which is getting them to their destination as quickly and as safely as possible. Live haul drivers, unlike freight drivers, cannot simply pull into a rest area or go off duty if they unexpectedly cannot get to their destination and/or unload within their hours of service.
Most animal trailers are passively ventilated, which means that the load cannot remain stationary for a prolonged period of time. It must be kept moving to attain maximum airflow and temperature control to ensure the safety of animals.
Ideally, we would like to align with or have a similar system as the United States, where livestock haulers are provided, in unforeseen circumstances, an exemption for hours of service within a radius of 150 air miles from the origin and destination of their trip. This is a reasonable exemption that allows the drivers flexibility in delivering the animals to their destination in a timely and safe manner.
At present, we have made a straightforward request that Transport Canada officials update the existing guide to specifically address animal welfare. This would provide clarity to enforcement officers and reassurance to livestock transporters.
Mr. Chair, I am ready for your questions.