Evidence of meeting #55 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 sms.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Franz Reinhardt  Director, Regulatory Services, Civil Aviation, Department of Transport
Susan Stanfield  Legal Counsel, Department of Transport
Merlin Preuss  Director General, Civil Aviation, Department of Transport

4:35 p.m.

Director, Regulatory Services, Civil Aviation, Department of Transport

Franz Reinhardt

You are right.

4:35 p.m.

Bloc

Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC

All right.

(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

Now we're going to refer to G-2.1.

4:35 p.m.

Bloc

Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC

Mr. Chairman, with your permission, I do not want us to forget the amendment of section 49(2) that is on the same page. Perhaps we could add it on page 63 or 64 and add it for upcoming meetings. It is a good government amendment, and I do not want us to forget it.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

I'm really wishful that we'll be at that point today, Monsieur Laframboise.

We're on amendment G-2.1, which is on page 42.1.

Monsieur Bélanger.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

We've now concluded, except for this new subclause 49(2), everything dealing with designated organizations?

Okay. So we're now going into SMS, right, on page 42.1?

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

Right.

June 4th, 2007 / 4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

Thank you.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

Mr. Jean.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB

Mr. Chair, I will move this, as follows:5.3901 The Minister of Transport shall carry out inspections of the aeronautical activities of holders of Canadian aviation document documents who are required to have a management system.

The reason this is put forward as an amendment is quite frankly to deal with some concerns that were brought forward by members in relation to the SMS system in particular and inspections generally. It's very similar, I think, to LIB-6, but a little bit...maybe a little stronger, is what I thought.

Members will notice that I have changed “conduct” to “carry out”, to be consistent with what was mentioned previously by Mr. Reinhardt.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

Comments? Mr. Julian.

4:35 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

That's not the....

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB

No. We'd heard from Mr. Reinhardt just a few minutes ago that we needed to have “carry out” instead of “conduct”, to be consistent with the language found throughout the text. So I amended that when I read it out.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

Are you saying that you amended this and removed “conduct”?

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB

Yes. I would ask for a friendly amendment.

This is based upon what the officials said.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

Okay. A friendly amendment has been suggested to change “shall conduct” to “shall carry out”.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

No, the French would also have to be changed.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON

It is the same thing in French.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

Well, if it's in English, it should be “the Minister shall inspect”.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON

Mais en français, “inspect” means also to “carry out”.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

That's fine. Okay.

(Amendment agreed to)

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

Now we're moving to BQ-16 on page 43.

Monsieur Laframboise.

4:35 p.m.

Bloc

Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC

It means striking out line 36 on page 14 up to line 25, page 15. Thus, you want to strike out section 5.392 on confidentiality, simply for the sake of respecting the Access to Information Act. The most important thing is that all the information regarding safety management be accessible so that we can know what is happening if a company has a problem or anything like that.

4:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

And for the information of the committee, there is line conflict with NDP-8.3 and NDP-9, and if this amendment is adopted, BQ-16, NDP-8.3, NDP-9, and G-3 cannot be put.

Mr. Jean.

4:40 p.m.

Conservative

Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The government in this case definitely would prefer G-3, as obviously it's our amendment, and we would suggest it deals with whistle-blowers in a better context, if that's what indeed the member is concerned with. But I would invite him to take a look at proposed subsection (3) in G-3 just very briefly to see whether that's more consistent with what he's interested in.

My understanding from talks with the department is that this, in essence, destroys the ability of SMS to work, and G-3 would allow SMS to continue working but still allow whistle-blowers. We were listening when it was brought forward by both the NDP and the Bloc and one member of the Liberal party who suggested it, and indeed, currently we already have non-punitive reporting methods under that. So we have four options for whistle-blowers, and we would suggest that G-3 would certainly deal with all the issues that have been put forward by the Bloc amendment of BQ-16 and on NDP-8.3 and still allow SMS to continue working as it's designed to do.