Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I listened to you and I had difficulty understanding your answers about the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority. Let me tell you why.
Normally, a foreign vessel that enters our waters from the Gulf of St. Lawrence bound for the Great Lakes must have a pilot on board to take it there safely because the masters are not necessarily familiar with our waters.
Are you saying that the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority has a serious problem because the regulations do not reflect reality? Masters and officers on Canadian vessels that sail the Great Lakes—and I mean Canadian, I am not talking about foreign vessels—have to have the proper training and so, to my knowledge, it is not required that they have a pilot on board. It is required for foreign vessels. On Canadian vessels, people must be trained and licensed to be able to sail our waters with no pilot on board.
Is this a safety issue, or just a matter of regulation?