This essentially takes the operator out of another section now. We've gone through three proposed sections that provide get-out-of-jail-free cards. How many of those cards are we going to give out to companies that may be irresponsible, given the testimony we've heard? This is simply keeping our responsibility to the Canadian public. We've heard witness after witness testify that getting out of jail free is not good public policy.
So here's a third section now where, if we do not adopt the amendment, we are giving an additional layer of freedom to companies. Most of them will treat it responsibly, but some companies will not. There are the problems we've seen with Air Ontario. The potential for an “Air CN” is increasingly likely if we continue to give these get-out-of-jail-free cards out like candy to companies that may want to cut costs on safety maintenance so they can make a quicker buck.
We've had the warning, particularly from Dax Air--what compelling testimony--that simply doing this makes it increasingly difficult for even good companies to try to match the bottom lines of more irresponsible competitors. So I hope that the committee, having given out two of these cards, will stop giving them out and will adopt this amendment.
(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])