Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's always interesting at natural resources.
I would like to thank the witnesses for coming here tonight. We deeply appreciate your testimony.
Ms. Dodd, we are very sorry for your loss. The testimony you're giving is very compelling, I think in part because of your personal connections.
I just want to note that subsequent to Ms. Duncan's comments about possible amendments and looking at a review, your comments have been very helpful. Those are amendments that we intend to bring in when we discuss this bill in the next few days.
We know that the Newfoundland and Labrador government supports an independent regulator. That issue has come up repeatedly because of the concerns that you, Ms. Payne, and Justice Wells mentioned on the potential for regulatory capture.
This has been helpful, but I would like to come to an unanswered question. The unanswered question that has been raised a number of times as we've gone through the hearings around this bill is the issue of the run-dry capability that the Transportation Safety Board very clearly indicated needed to be dealt with. Mr. Harris referenced it in his question as well. We have a Transportation Safety Board recommendation for a 30-minute run-dry capability. We know the implications of not having that, and yet there has been a resistance to implementing that.
When the C-NLOPB appeared before the committee, we asked them point blank why that had not been put into effect, and there was no clear answer. We've continued to ask this question. It appears that it may have something to do with cost, but we have not been able to confirm that.
We have an issue where clear action needs to be taken, and because of a lack of an independent safety regulator, potentially, there seems to be an inability to put into place what is common sense, particularly in light of the ongoing dangers in the offshore.
I would like to ask each one of you, do you think in some way it may be a lack of an independent safety regulator that is slowing down the implementation of the Transportation Safety Board's recommendation to have 30-minute run-dry capability for offshore helicopters?