Thank you, Mr. Chair.
This amendment to the Aeronautics Act has been very controversial within the industry. Many of the organizations involved in aviation, such as the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association, the Helicopter Association, and the Aviateurs et pilotes de brousse du Québec, have given you a lot of evidence of concern here.
I cite the evidence of the Canadian Airports Council. There is a large and important airport that is a significant part of my riding, the Victoria International Airport. The brief from the Canadian Airports Council points out that although there were informal discussions at Transport Canada, “there was no consultation with industry on the broader language currently being proposed. They also say, “We contend that this legislation should have been subject to the same process that normally would be undertaken”.
I know that there was also some supportive testimony on this, so what my amendment attempts to do is craft a requirement for the appropriate consultation to take place before non-urgent prohibition orders for aerodrome expansion and development take place. As you can see, my amendment requires in proposed subsection 4.31(2) that the minister consult with any person the minister considers appropriate, and in my proposed subsection 4.31(3), that if it is urgent and there's a security issue, the minister may act without consultation.