Public Safety Committee on June 7th, 2007

[Brion Brandt]

This list would be very focused, and we've taken account of the potential situation that you're describing of a Canadian who could be overseas. Those sorts of circumstances sometimes present themselves for issues other than ours. We're working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and others to make sure that the rights of Canadians are respected. If someone finds themselves outside the country and not able to board a flight in a regular manner because of the program, we will have solutions to address that. We are very interested in making sure that the rights of Canadians are defended.

[Raymond Chan, Liberal, Richmond, BC]

How would you do it? Would you provide a private jet to fly them back, or do you have an air marshal to accompany them?

[The Chair, Conservative, Garry Breitkreuz]

I think he is asking if there would be compensation.

[Raymond Chan, Liberal, Richmond, BC]

No, it's not compensation. You are denying his right to come back.

[Brion Brandt]

It depends very much on the circumstances that are presented by that individual case. The number of those types of cases I would expect to be extremely limited, extremely small, and we will deal with them case by case, depending on the circumstances surrounding the individual.

As I said, this program is not for your average traveller. It's for people who pose a threat to aviation security. We have to deal with that based upon the circumstances surrounding that individual.

[The Chair, Conservative, Garry Breitkreuz]

Mr. MacKenzie, you will have the final word here.

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you to the two panel members.

I agree 50% with Mr. Cullen, but I do believe that this program, not necessarily the other one he talked of, is effective.

When we talk about the civil liberties of the individuals who are refused the opportunity to fly, I understand that issue. But I believe, and I think most Canadians believe, that the civil liberties of people flying on the aircraft are also important. Those innocent people who get on the aircraft have every right to believe, as Mr. Cullen indicated, that there will be some way to check that the other passengers on that aircraft don't represent a threat to the travelling public. From that perspective, I agree with the plan. Equally, as he has indicated, I recognize that it won't be perfect, but without any plan, I don't know what protection there is for the travelling public.

I know that a great deal of the negative things have been focused on the American program, but this is not the American program. Would you confirm for Canadians that this is a Canadian program, made in Canada for Canadians, to protect them--

[Sue Barnes, Liberal, London West, ON]

Like environmental problems?

I'm sorry.

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Well, listen, we're talking about the safety of Canadians who travel on our airflights, and I think it needs to be abundantly clear that this is a made-in-Canada plan, for Canadians, to represent safe travel in our airspace.

[Brion Brandt]

That's absolutely true, and we recognize that aviation is important to Canada. It's also an international industry. This program, as I say, over the last five years has been developed to meet what we believe are Canadian interests in an international context.

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Are there other countries besides the North American countries that have similar systems, regardless of what it might be called?

[Brion Brandt]

There are not many, but there are others that do have programs either that are in place or they're considering developing them.

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

And much of this I think you indicated came from the 9/11 incident in the United States.

[Brion Brandt]

If you look at those circumstances, I appreciate the comments. We do have very clear examples of people using their own names, of people who are involved in these types of activities, of people who might carry out these types of activities. As I say, it's addressed to those types of people. It's not addressed to the average traveller who has never had any of that kind of action in their background.

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Thank you.

Those are my questions, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Garry Breitkreuz]

Thank you.

I would like to thank our witnesses very much.

Just to let this committee know, I'm planning on calling a meeting for Tuesday, at the regular time--11 o'clock--to discuss future business of the committee. Please come prepared for that.

[Serge Ménard, Bloc, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

And my motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Garry Breitkreuz]

That's future business of the committee. We can discuss that.

Thank you.

The meeting is adjourned.