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It's often difficult for us, as members of Parliament, to hear moving testimonies. We heard some yesterday in Gander, and we are hearing more here today. I assure you that my colleagues and I are doing everything we can so that we don't lose any more lives under the current system. If we need to change the system, we will.
Yesterday, in Gander, I also said that we can't do anything about fatalities. I believe that our goal is not to lose any more lives. But it's difficult to achieve this type of goal 100%. We are going to do everything we can to change things and ensure that human loss is kept to a minimum. I'll admit that it's difficult for me to keep a cool head and analyze the situation appropriately when I am touched and very moved. As an elected official, I'm trying to see how I can logically try to resolve the situation.
When the context is more emotional, it's more difficult. It's important that we're aware of it and that, then, once we've composed ourselves, we try to see what influence we may have on changing the system. I'm not saying that we don't need to dedicate more money to it. That may be necessary. We will see what the committee recommends. I've already shared my position. There might be structural problems.
As for response times, it's all very well to have access to a helicopter in 15 or 20 minutes, but there might be a coast guard boat near the incident site that could get there faster. We are looking at things like that.
Speaking of speed, I said a little earlier that a helicopter is not as quick as an airplane, and that a boat is even less so. But it all depends on where they're located. A lot of people are telling us that the locations of things need to be different. We're also considering reorganizing all these things.
I want to ask you some questions about responsibilities. I find that it is much too easy to say that the government is responsible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. I think that others have responsibilities too. In particular, there are provincial responsibilities. I can tell you that, in Quebec, the Sûreté du Québec is on patrol. I'm not going to claim that it's as difficult for us as it is for you. I grant you, the waters of the Atlantic are probably the most deadly in the world. We are trying to find solutions. Our intentions are good.
So, I'd like to hear you talk about responsibilities. Oil companies make billions of dollars in profit every year. I wouldn't want you to tell me to leave them out of it. I would not want to hear that it's the federal government's responsibility because these companies pay taxes to the federal government. I think that if a company wants to be perfect and behave like a perfect corporate citizen, the company will have to make its contribution because it is benefiting from access to workers and services provided by the government.
I'd like you to tell me about shared responsibility. When I say "shared", I recognize that the federal government must carry most of the load, but the provinces, municipalities and large companies, such as the oil companies, also have a role to play and must make their contribution.
This is what I'd like to hear you talk about. Perhaps Ms. Michael could start and we'll see if we politicians share the same point of view.