Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister, for attending.
The testimony around this table and the discussion that we've just heard seems to focus almost exclusively on the number of inspectors that Transport Canada has to do enforcement to ensure that we have a safe civil aviation program. I'm not sure that is the prime or the only factor to consider. I'm not sure, and I'm going to get your answer on that.
I'd like to use an analogy. Back 50 years ago, when I was a very young child, when an automobile mechanic wanted to fix a car they would do so almost exclusively by manual means. Today, 50 years later, you bring your car into the shop and they have all of these electronic diagnostic tools. In many cases it takes much less time to figure out what's wrong with the car and to fix it.
Somehow the impression that's been left by the opposition members at this table is that the only thing that drives safety management levels is the number of bodies we've got employed. First of all, Mr. Minister, you and your staff members have been saying very clearly that in fact the number of inspectors has not gone down. But even if it had, I'd like you to answer whether or not that is the sole factor we should consider when we're determining air safety in our country.