Thank you, Mr. Chair.
For members of the committee, I would like to reframe this discussion a little bit and put it into context.
Under the International Health Regulations, which were revised at the same time the Quarantine Act was modernized, operators of ground conveyances are not required to report in advance. To repeat that, under the International Health Regulations, ground conveyances are not required to report.
Ms. Brown, in our debate, I think there was a suggestion about an amendment. It wouldn't be helpful in this case because Bill C-42 is a catch-all bill.
I would like to refer you to proposed subsection 34(1), which reads: “This section applies to the operator of any of the following conveyances”. We've been talking about watercraft and aircraft, but paragraph 34(1)(b) talks about “a prescribed conveyance”. It can be defined as anything, be it a bus, a train, a Segway, or whatever humans come up with in the future for land transportation.
I hope you guys will be able to elaborate on the points I'm raising to make sure I understand correctly.
On the other point I'd like to raise, under the Quarantine Act, customs officials are actually also screening officers. It is also another safety valve.
A prescribed conveyance actually deals with land conveyances, or transporters, or whatever we come up with. I think it addresses the issue and allows for the catch-all nature of Bill C-42, which was the whole purpose.
Could the officials comment on that understanding and address those concerns?