Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for appearing. I appreciate the input. As you probably know, we go away from these meetings and take another look at the transcript of what you've had to say, and wrestle with some of the issues, at times trying to reconcile some of the testimony that may not be in agreement with other testimony, and then come up with a report. I think you've provided us with some very important input so that we can do that.
Just to reiterate, Lisa or Melanie, what I think one of you said, the way I see the statistics, as you did, is that the number of marine accidents is actually on the decline from 1999, particularly among fishing boats.
According to my figures, in 1995 there were 372 accidents, and in 2004 there were 223. That's a fairly statistically significant decline. Among those there was capsizing in only 17 in 1995 and eight in 2004.
Yet we've heard in this committee a number of times, both on this trip and before, that because there are boat length restrictions, people are trying to get around those by going wider than they should and going higher than they should, making for an unstable boat or a dangerous boat. I think those may be words that you used, Mr. Martel, as well.
I have two questions about that. If that is the case--I mean if we're allowing unsafe boats to be built--why are we not seeing more accidents as people are tending to do that more, rather than fewer accidents, which is in fact what we are seeing?
Secondly, I guess I am not understanding the process. I am not a boat builder nor the son of a boat builder. I know they do get modified, but are some boats being built wider than they should be and taller than they should be in boatyards, and being signed off on by a naval architect whose business it is I think to make sure that the boats are stable when they leave the boatyard? How is that part of it happening?