Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to the witnesses.
First things first. Mr. Labonté, I noticed that you're having some trouble with the pronunciation of Newfoundland. A good trick is to say, “Newfoundland, understand; understand Newfoundland.” That way you'll never get it wrong.
In one of the last statements that you made in your opening remarks, you mentioned how this proposed legislation is an important step in clarifying our already excellent offshore oil and gas regime and in ensuring occupational health and safety remains a priority.
There are some people in Newfoundland and Labrador who would have a problem with that particular statement, Mr. Labonté. Justice Robert Wells held an inquiry in 2010 into the crash of Cougar flight 491 that took the lives of 17 offshore workers. In Justice Wells' words, the most important recommendation from that inquiry was recommendation number 29. Recommendation 29 called for an independent health and safety regulator, an independent health and safety regulator.
My question is, why wasn't that particular recommendation for an independent safety regulator included in this bill?