Transport Committee on May 8th, 2008

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Pontiac, QC]

I just want to repeat here that SMS is an additional layer of safety we want to put in place. We are not saying we are withdrawing. We're not saying we're cutting back. We're not saying we're taking away. We've made the demonstration that we still have inspectors. Nobody's pulling inspectors away. That would be terrible to pull inspectors away. We don't want to do that.

We want to be able to empower the other members of the industry, so that they can also participate in safety management systems. I repeat that we're number one in the world and we want to continue to be number one. We're addressing new ways to do it. When we have an international civil aviation organization such as ICAO telling us we are going in the right direction—and not only are we going in the right direction, but they want to be able to use the model we're putting forward as the basis to export that elsewhere in the world—I think that's a darned good thing for Canada. It indicates to me that we're going in the right direction.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Zed is going to share his time, or give his time to Mr. Volpe. Am I correct?

[Paul Zed, Liberal, Saint John, NB]

No, I don't think so.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Okay, we'll have Mr. Zed.

[Paul Zed, Liberal, Saint John, NB]

I'm tired of sharing my time.

Thank you, Minister, for being here. I have a couple of quick questions.

I was looking through the estimates for the Atlantic gateway, and I wasn't able to find it. Perhaps you could draw my attention to it. Or is it in your estimates? Is it just policy still?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Pontiac, QC]

No. I'll let the deputy answer that, because he has a list of numbers here.

[Louis Ranger]

There's a $2.1 billion fund for gateways and border crossings, and within that Treasury Board has allotted some resources to the department to support all the analysis we need to do before we identify specific projects. So it's funded within that fund.

[Paul Zed, Liberal, Saint John, NB]

Okay.

Minister, you can likely anticipate what a couple of my questions might be.

Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, as you know, have a super-highway, a marine super-highway, called the Digby ferry. I was wondering whether you might today be in a position to confirm that your government would be ready to recommit money for the Digby ferry. Specifically, would you consider using the Atlantic gateway initiative for that?

That's one of my questions. If you like, I can give you three or four of them at once.

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Pontiac, QC]

Keep going.

[Paul Zed, Liberal, Saint John, NB]

The other one is the Saint John Harbour Bridge, another favourite subject of ours in New Brunswick. I notice that in the estimates there are other federal bridges, and I was wondering what distinguishes the Saint John Harbour Bridge from other federal bridges.

This isn't necessarily directed at a party. As you know, sir, this is a long-standing issue for the people of New Brunswick and the federal government.

I was wondering whether you would consider, once again, forgiving the debt on the Harbour Bridge, considering that the bridge originally was built for $18 million and the debt on the bridge is now, I think, $23 million. I know that the tolls on the bridge have gone up.

There is another thing I was wondering, sir. You may be aware of the fact that southern New Brunswick is going through a major energy boom. We're expecting to have anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000 to 30,000 new people moving to southern New Brunswick. I know that your government has been instrumental in working together, as past governments have, with the provincial government on a new border crossing between Calais and St. Stephen. I want to compliment the government for following through with that, but I am concerned, specifically, about rail service. I was wondering if you could indicate to us whether the government has any plans to consider passenger rail service or to assist with a private sector company being involved in passenger rail service.

My last question involves the small airport policy question. Sir, I'm sure you appreciate the fact that small airports are very important for us in Atlantic Canada. I was wondering whether you might take a minute or two to review small airport policy for us. And can you tell us how you might, as a government, reinvest in smaller communities that need funds for capital infrastructure?

Thank you.

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Pontiac, QC]

This reminds me, Mr. Zed, of when we used to have our exams in college. You'd go for the first question, the sixth, and the seventh. You'd read through the thing first. There are about six questions here.

[Paul Zed, Liberal, Saint John, NB]

We have a good chairman. He'll be very anxious to hear from you.

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Pontiac, QC]

I'm sure.

On the Digby ferries and bay ferries, as you know, there is an agreement in place until the end of the year, and I can assure you that we are working on the file.

On the Saint John Harbour Bridge, the debt repayment plan will begin in 2009. The additional revenue generated by the 2007 toll increase, which is 25¢, if I'm not mistaken, has been allocated to other key aspects of maintaining the project in terms of maintenance.

On the energy boom, I think it's great news that it is occurring in the province. I fail to see where Transport Canada would essentially be implicated, but maybe you can come back to me on that specific issue.

On small airports, I know that it is an issue not only, of course, in New Brunswick but elsewhere in the country. As you know, in the Building Canada plan, one of the categories we have put forward and acknowledged as being important in terms of our communities is to be able to fund small airports. So the procedure, as you know, is there. We will allow small airports as a category, and we will look at them in view of funding them, if possible.

[Robert Carrier, Bloc, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Good morning, Minister. It is a pleasure to welcome to the Committee the big boss of Transport Canada—the one making all the important policy decisions at the Department.

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Pontiac, QC]

I am always worried when I hear that sort of comment, knowing that after the compliment comes the kick in the teeth.

[Robert Carrier, Bloc, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

You have to take your responsibilities. I am going to come back to the question put by my colleague which you did not have time to answer. It relates to the Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges.

Based on the budget, increased funding is only $21 or $22 million. As you know, the Champlain Bridge is in need of major repairs. A number of announcements have been made in that regard. There is also the light rail project. A study has already been carried out. It would be built on the trustle of the Champlain Bridge, which is located next to it. Given that the Champlain Bridge is in need of repairs, there is a need to determine whether the light rail component can be part of that. I believe that for the entire South Shore area of Montreal, it is important that people be told what your Department is planning in that regard.

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Pontiac, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Carrier. I, too, am very pleased to see you again as Opposition critic for transportation.

Let's begin with the most important issues. You may not have mentioned them in your question, but they are worthy of mention. In terms of letting contracts to rebuild the deck of the Mercier Bridge, which was very much in need of work, we announced funding of some $60 million for that purpose several weeks ago.

As regards the $20 million you spoke of, this is an amount provided annually for maintenance of the Champlain and Jacques Cartier Bridges. The Champlain Bridge, based on what I have been told, is very safe and its deck will only need to be rebuilt some 12 or 15 years from now. It is fulfilling its proper function and is very safe.

You are right to refer to the discussions which took place regarding traffic on the Island of Montreal. On a daily basis, more than 57,000 vehicles an hour use the Champlain Bridge, if I am not mistaken. It is operating at full capacity.

I have begun discussions with my colleague, Ms. Boulet. As you know, we are working very closely with officials at the Quebec Ministry of Transportation. Earlier, we announced $465 million to fund construction work on Highway 30, a major project taking place in the Greater Montreal region. In that case and in the others, we will be working very closely with the Government of Quebec and we will be looking at all the available options.

[Robert Carrier, Bloc, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

With respect to the promises you always keep and on which…

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Pontiac, QC]

That is not your question; I'm sure that was Mr. Laframboise's question.

[Robert Carrier, Bloc, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

In that regard, I would like to talk about the Quebec City Bridge. I have been a Member of Parliament since 2004. At the time, the Liberals were in office and the Bloc Québécois was asking for the bridge to be repainted. There was a dispute with CN, and the Minister of Transport at the time had taken certain actions. Now, you are telling us that you will not take any action. Instead, you will try to reach an out-of-court settlement, which would be faster. However, we learned this morning that CN will not repaint the bridge.

Given your interest in the celebrations planned for the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City, which were discussed yesterday, I'm wondering why you were unable to find a solution that would have allowed the bridge to be repainted before the celebrations occur. I would at least like to know if you will undertake to move quickly on this. If not, are we going to have to wait for another election, and yet another promise?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Pontiac, QC]

I see that the miracle in Quebec has been extremely detrimental to you. I don't want to harp on this, but it would seem that you have forgotten or deliberately ignored parts of the chronology.

It was a commitment. On the other hand, the first and most important point to be made in this regard is the fact that the bridge belongs neither to the federal government nor to the Government of Quebec; rather, it belongs to CN. We have taken steps to try and ensure that CN will fully meet its responsibilities in that regard. As you have noted, they have decided not to do so. On our side, we have no choice but to sue CN, so that it fulfills all its responsibilities with respect to the transaction—namely, to paint the bridge and maintain it. It is a private corporation. We have negotiated with CN but, as you know, when the negotiations go nowhere, the only remaining option is to have the dispute resolved by the courts.

As regards the 400th anniversary of Quebec City's founding, once again, you seem to be forgetting that the Government of Canada has invested almost $110 million in this project. I think it's important to repeat that and make people aware of that participation.

[Robert Carrier, Bloc, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

My time is up. We'll continue this on the next round.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Shipley.

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Minister, for coming today.

This is an interesting committee, which I believe works well. We've tackled a number of things, everything from rail and air safety, and also the effect of efficient rail transfers for our shippers. So we've looked at a lot of things and even at our ports. Obviously, Minister, they're one of the key principles we work hard at together, as we are an importing and exporting nation.

This takes me now to the navigable waters we have endeavoured upon and have the support of everyone, I think, to move ahead on this. Because we've laid out $33 billion, I think it was, the largest since World War II in an infrastructure program, I'm wondering how that adds value to the overall review of the infrastructure projects that may come forward.

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Pontiac, QC]

One of the elements of the infrastructure program is that while we are committing to spend $33 billion over the next seven years, that initiative--for instance, the communities' component--will compel and engage the provinces, as well as local municipalities, to be able to do the projects they want to put forward, whether they be in the environmental sector, whether they touch water, waste water management systems, roads, public transit, a series of infrastructure needs and wants that are there. So this $33 billion, in our estimation, will generate roughly $50 billion, in terms of the other projects or the other funding.

Added to that, of course, is the amount of money in terms of public-private partnerships. We talked about being able to find a way to engage the private sector to levy some money, because money is available in Canada. We feel it's a good way to merge public and private interests to make sure we meet the challenge of rebuilding our infrastructure in Canada.