Evidence of meeting #42 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 preuss.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
Maybe I'll go to Mr. Wallace for one brief last question, because we do have a little bit of committee business.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
I just want to let Mr. Volpe know that I'm just down the road in Burlington, so I'm not that far and I'm familiar with the issues. I'm more familiar, to be frank with you, with the Hamilton Port Authority, but I was following what was happening down the street from me.
My question is very brief.
One of the points was that maybe the competency of the new port authority, since it changed from commissioners—I don't even know what it was before—to the port authority.... There was some suggestion that the competency wasn't there for them to handle it.
I know part of your review was on governance, in a sense. I would like to know, just for my information, based on your review, regarding the model that is set out in the Canada Marine Act in terms of governance with port authorities and their abilities to make decisions, is it sufficient, or are there other issues that we should be looking at in terms of where a port authority should go in terms of governance issues?
Legal Counsel, Gowling, Lafleur and Henderson, As an Individual
My own impression was that certainly the Canada Marine Act was an improvement on the harbour commissioners act--a great improvement. But for example, I'm not persuaded that although it emerges from good intentions, there be user groups for the appointment of directors. There are four groups--the users, the operators, the consumers. I'm not so sure that this is really working. I think there have been some problems in identifying people to serve on these committees. But overall I think it's working well.
There are some changes. For example, in the case of this authority, the TPA, I have suggested that perhaps some thought should be given to hiving the airport out of that, so that people could see where the airport is going, and there should be annual reports. There should be an increase in transparency, in other words.
Aside from that, I'm satisfied. I have not had time to really look at this legislation, which goes on and on. I look at it for my purposes only and for the purpose of my mandate, which was to look at the TPA, not to look at the City of Toronto.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
Thank you, Mr. Tassé. We do appreciate your candidness here.
Just before we adjourn, Mr. Bélanger asked about when we return.
On Monday, April 16, we deal with Mr. Bell's rail safety. On Wednesday, April 18, subject to the motion that is purported to be coming ahead, we're going to do rail safety. On Monday, April 23, we'll have witnesses to Bill C-6 or rail safety, subject to the number of witnesses who come out. On the 25th we're back to witnesses on Bill C-6, with department officials, if we're at that point. And then we'll move into clause-by-clause.
The meeting is adjourned.