Evidence of meeting #65 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was spectrum.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Scott Simms Liberal Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL
Does this bill not go far enough, in your opinion?
Liberal
Scott Simms Liberal Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL
Well, we certainly were just into it. Have you been a candidate, sir, of the—I'm just kidding.
Liberal
Prof. Len Zedel
It's one line in Bill C-38 about the Coasting Trade Act. It has implications for the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board, as to how offshore projects are regulated.
My impression is that a full and thorough debate is hard to have when this issue comes up as one line in an omnibus bill.
Liberal
Scott Simms Liberal Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL
I see.
Mr. Wright, obviously you believe that with this inclusion in the bill, it certainly helps for commercial activity. Is the necessity now? I know with seismic activity the well spouts several years down the road, as it were.
Manager, Exploration, Oil and Gas, Nalcor Energy
That is correct.
Again, the bill deals with the importation of seismic vessels. The Offshore Petroleum Board is doing the regulation of the environmental effects and a full environmental assessment in consultation with the DFO, the coast guard, etc. That won't change; that remains the same. It's just the fact that the level of activity may rise if it's easier to bring foreign-flagged ships into Canada.
Liberal
Liberal
Scott Simms Liberal Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL
Oh, good Lord. I wanted to talk about the Investment Canada Act.
Obviously, I'll throw it out to both guests here who spoke about it earlier. The transparency level in the Investment Canada Act, in your opinion, does not suffice. It's at the back end. Do you feel that transparency is nowhere near where it should be after a deal is made?
I'd like to ask Mr. Bergevin and Mr. Weir to comment on that.
Liberal
Senior Policy Analyst, C.D. Howe Institute
By it's very nature, the act, as you know, is a bit opaque. It's very important for the public and potential investors to know the government's thinking on the act. Releasing information about a decision is probably the best way to communicate to investors the details of different clauses that are used under the act for the net benefit test. I think it's of paramount importance to require that the minister release information and his or her reasoning on decisions.
Economist, United Steelworkers
I think we need greater transparency about how the decisions are arrived at, and also about the commitments that are made by foreign investors to achieve approval under the act. In addition to more transparency about the outcomes, I think we need a more open process to begin with, where workers, and workers' organizations, including ones that might be affiliated with the New Democratic Party, have an opportunity to give some input to the process.
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I also would like to thank the witnesses for some great testimony here today.
Mr. Steiner, you said something that I found absolutely fascinating when you were talking about some of the challenges you had in the past. What I also heard you say, in terms of the Exxon Valdez, is how you actually solved that problem. Was that the actual quote, that you had solved the problem in terms of that issue?
Can I tell you a little bit first...and then maybe get your perspective? In this budget, absolutely, the safe movement of oil tankers is really important to the government. What we've included is some new regulations to enhance the existing tanker inspection regime by strengthening vessel inspection requirements. We have created new regulatory frameworks related to oil spills and emergency preparedness and response. We've done a review of handling processes for oil products by an independent international panel of experts—tanker safety experts. We put $35.7 million to further strengthen Canada's tanker safety regime, to support responsible development, and some additional things.
Again, I don't think anything can ever be absolutely 100% risk free, but these are, I would believe, very important measures that will minimize, to the greatest degree possible, the movement of tanker traffic. Would you agree with that?
Prof. Richard Steiner
It seems, Madam, that everything you mention there is absolutely critical to reducing the environmental risk from tanker transport of hazardous substances such as oil. I would encourage the Government of Canada—and I think you have done this in many ways—to look at additional measures for prevention of tanker casualties. That's where we got it right in Prince William Sound, Alaska, where I lived for 15 years, both before and during the Exxon Valdez oil spill.
Basically, you look at the adequacy of the ship. In OPA 90 we made the double-haul tanker requirement in the United States. I believe the IMO has done that globally. The adequacy of the crew and the adequacy of vessel traffic systems and monitoring are important. We have twin-tug escorts escorting every laden tanker out to the ocean entrance.
There are many things that can be done to reduce the risk. You're right, we can't get it to zero, but we can get it down as low as possible by incorporating the best available and safest technology.
I would encourage the entire committee to come visit us in Prince William Sound, Alaska, to see the tanker transport system that's in place there.
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
Actually, that sounds like a great idea.
Thank you. I appreciate it, because it sounds like you have really had to deal with it right upfront and have recognized how much can be done to really mitigate it to almost nothing.
With the little bit of time I have left, I want to maybe focus in on Mr. Skinner. I was actually part of the red tape reduction commission that travelled across the country. We heard a number of stories, in terms of all sorts of issues that small businesses face, but certainly in this bill we've addressed some of the issues you're talking about today.
For the benefit of some of the people on the committee, could you actually give us specific examples? I was witness to specific examples of what was happening. Can you talk about a couple of products? It might resonate with the folks who didn't get to hear those examples.
President, Consumer Health Products Canada
Sure. One of the most common ones that almost everybody would know about happens to be a natural health product. It's nicotine replacement therapy—nicotine patches and gums. It took years for the government to gather enough information about the safety, quality, and efficacy to make a decision on whether a doctor's prescription was really needed each time or whether lower doses could be made available for consumer use.
Just that switch alone—there's lots of data in Canada and elsewhere. In fact, the U.S. just did a study on the economic impact: $2 billion in annual savings to the health care system because consumers can now use this product without having to see a doctor. It reduces morbidity and mortality in terms of smoking. The impact on chronic disease is incredible. It's a strong public health outcome.
If we had had this measure in place at the time that natural health products like nicotine replacement therapies were going through, consumers would have seen it two years earlier. The savings to the system would have accrued two years earlier. It would have been a tremendous boon.
In the most recent data, the 2011 health care costs, take a simple ailment like the common cold that people say is minor but still see a doctor for. If only 16% of those with a minor cold were actually doing something more for themselves, the savings cost would be enough to give 500,000 Canadians access to a primary care physician that they don't have right now. The impact of self-care is huge.
NDP
Wayne Marston NDP Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON
I was just looking at the list here. We have fish, seeds, upset stomach medications, seismic oil exploration activity, and throw in foreign takeovers....
Pardon me?
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
Madam Chair, I have a point of order. Not to interrupt Mr. Marston—I wouldn't want to do that. Are we scheduled to go until 9 tonight or 9:30? I notice in my schedule it's until 9.
