Evidence of meeting #31 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendment.
A recording is available from Parliament.
6:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
All those in favour of the subamendment, please signify.
(Subamendment agreed to)
6:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
Shall the amendment as amended carry?
(Amendment as amended agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
6:05 p.m.
Bloc
6:05 p.m.
Conservative
6:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
Thank you, Monsieur Laframboise.
(On clause 39)
We're dealing with amendment number BQ-8. It was moved by Mr. Laframboise.
Mr. Laframboise, I'll go back to you. It's on page 32 in your program and it's on clause 39.
6:05 p.m.
Conservative
6:05 p.m.
Conservative
6:05 p.m.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
I am. I had an opportunity to talk to Monsieur Laframboise. I have an amendment that I think would be satisfactory, certainly to the Bloc and to most members of the committee, based upon the comments made last time.
May I?
6:05 p.m.
Conservative
6:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
After Mr. Jean has presented this, I will ask Mr. Laframboise whether there's agreement to withdraw his amendment so that we can actually deal specifically with this.
6:05 p.m.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
Mr. Chair, the main concern in relation to what was discussed last time was the definition of “urban transit authority”, that it encompass other groups that may provide commuter services, whether they be municipal, provincial, or otherwise.
What has been proposed by the government is to actually change clause 28, which deals with the definition—it seems this would be satisfactory—as well as clause 42, which is encompassing with it and indeed deals with other concerns. You'll see underlining of the text dealing with the change: “or within the territory served by any urban transit authority”. That change would go into proposed sections 146.4 and 146.2.
It seems to encompass more of a municipal hands-on approach to the idea of the “urban transit authority”, to include everybody.
6:10 p.m.
Bloc
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Mr. Chairman, what we wanted to do with amendment BQ-8, was to broaden the definition of a suburban transit company.
Now, the government wants us to come back to the definition in clause 28 of the bill that defines a suburban transit authority without limiting this solely to census metropolitan areas. The problem is that there are suburban transit systems that go beyond the administrative areas determined by the Canadian government. Thus, we want to allow these companies, that might cover territory bigger than a census metropolitan area, to do this. This would also allow regional companies, which do not operate in urban regions, to use public transit and benefit from this legislation.
I think that the government's position is the same as ours. We concur with the propositions that were tabled. As you see, if we add to clause 28 the following words: "in an urban region or on territory served by a suburban transit authority", it could apply to other companies that have services elsewhere than in census metropolitan areas.
6:10 p.m.
Bloc
6:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
In order to deal with this particular clause, I would assume Mr. Laframboise has withdrawn amendment BQ-8.
6:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
We will vote on clause 39 without amendment.
(Clause 39 agreed to)
6:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
With the permission of the committee, we have to go back to clause 28 to reinstate the definition.
Mr. Bell.
6:10 p.m.
Liberal
Don Bell Liberal North Vancouver, BC
I have a question to Mr. Laframboise's question about expanding the definition. Are you happy with the definition under clause 28?
As I understand it, it doesn't refer to what we now have, which is “an entity owned or controlled by the federal government or a provincial, municipal or district government”. It isn't only an urban area. It's called an “urban transit authority”, but it means “an entity owned”. It could go beyond a high-density urban area, as I understand it.
6:10 p.m.
Bloc
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
That is right, except for the fact that the amendment proposed by the government wants to take the words "in an urban region" out of the definition in clause 28. The new definition of the term "suburban transit authority" will be:
An entity controlled by the federal or provincial government or a municipal authority or one belonging to it, and that provides public passenger transit.
If we do not keep the words "in an urban region", this could cover almost any public company at any level of government. This is why we concur with this definition.
