Evidence of meeting #38 for Natural Resources in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was pipeline.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Thank you, Mr. Cullen.
I'll go finally to Mr. Anderson for about six minutes.
12:55 p.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
To go back to Ms. Kenny, you referenced the handout you've given us about the historical pipeline ruptures. Are we to read from this that from 2003 to 2009 there were only two ruptures in the large-scale pipelines?
12:55 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Energy Pipeline Association
Yes. I believe 2008 is the last date on that particular view graph. The National Energy Board had released its data based on that. Yes, that's correct.
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
So according to your organization, what are the reasons for this decline in these incidents over the years? Because that's quite a significant change there.
12:55 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Energy Pipeline Association
It is. I think the number one development is much better internal inspection tools. Internal inspection is routine for these large diameter pipelines, much as medical technologies have advanced considerably in terms of imaging and an ability to see inside your heart, let's say. You can determine without having to see with your own eyes that there is or is not a problem or what you need to monitor.
Also, that data feeds into much more advanced integrity management systems, and that has allowed us to have a very elaborate system in place. There will be mistakes from time to time, but the trend line is very positive and will continue.
1 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
Ms. Stein, this morning we had a witness who told us that nothing has changed in 40 years in terms of safety technology and marine transportation. I'm just wondering if you have any comments on that or, anything to say about changes in ship technology and those kinds of things.
1 p.m.
President and Secretary-General, International Ship-Owners Alliance of Canada Inc.
Oh, that's a gross misstatement, and actually, if you look at statistics in the past 40 years and compare the amount of oil that has been transported then and today, of course there has been a tremendous increase in transport and again a tremendous decrease in incidents. In fact, in 2009, there was not a single incident of oil spilled over 700 tonnes. The reason for this is better practices and better technologies. I think everybody knows that we're transitioning from single hull to double-hulled vessels. By 2015, no single hull vessels will be transiting our waters.
Further to that, I can tell you that when an incident occurred, many international organizations and shipping companies themselves analyzed what went wrong and why it went wrong, and improvements are consistently being made. Then, we layer on top of that the global regulation of the shipping industry by the International Maritime Organization, with literally hundreds of conventions that have been established and accepted. Over and above that, we have--
December 9th, 2010 / 1 p.m.
President and Secretary-General, International Ship-Owners Alliance of Canada Inc.
--the additional layers of protection.
1 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
I'll just interrupt you for one minute. Mr. Coderre is off-camera and you can't see him, but I think he was wondering what the difference is between single hull and double hull. I'm wondering if you could tell us the difference and what an impact that makes on ship safety.
1 p.m.
President and Secretary-General, International Ship-Owners Alliance of Canada Inc.
A single hull is just the one hull of the vessel. A double hull includes a second skin, so if there's a grounding and there's a piercing within the first hull of the vessel, there's still the second skin.
I'm just looking at people laughing, but anyhow--
1 p.m.
Liberal
1 p.m.
President and Secretary-General, International Ship-Owners Alliance of Canada Inc.
Anyhow, a double hull affords a second skin to the vessel, a second layer of protection.
1 p.m.
Liberal
1 p.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
1 p.m.
Conservative
1 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
We're just discovering whether Mr. Coderre's skin is thin or thick, I think.
I just have time for one final question here.
Mr. Nagy, earlier when you made your presentation, you made a statement towards the end that you'd been accused of representing U.S. interests. I'm just wondering what are the specifics of those accusations. What have you been accused of?
1 p.m.
President, Local 31, United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union - Canadian Auto Workers
It was stated to me that I'm being used by the Americans on the agenda that I'm pushing forward to protect our coast because I do not support the issue of tankers along our coastal waters in the north. It was a statement that I had—
1 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
The issue of funding has come up a few times. I'm just wondering—
1 p.m.
President, Local 31, United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union - Canadian Auto Workers
It was an issue—
1 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
Can you tell me if you get any funding from outside the country for your union activities or organization?
1 p.m.
President, Local 31, United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union - Canadian Auto Workers
What I do with my union here in Prince Rupert is fully funded by our membership on the dues that we collect as part of our mandate to represent the workers in the—
1 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
So all of your environmental activism in your area is paid by your local members? There's no money coming in from the unions from outside Canada?
