Transport Committee on Jan. 29th, 2008

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Dredging.

[Patrice Pelletier]

Yes, it's possible, but it's got to be in specific places. Our issues are not all along the St. Lawrence, but specific points.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Has that been costed? Has any study been done on that?

[Patrice Pelletier]

We have elements that permit the evaluation of the price.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

I have a final question, if I may, Mr. Chair.

I notice the amount of cargo grew in tonnage by 17% but the value of the cargo by 46%. It seems that the growth is in specific areas. I was wondering what the change in the product mix has been. Obviously there's a significant difference between 17% and 46% in value. What is the new product? What has happened?

[Gary Leroux]

I think that's probably due mostly to the growth in containers into Canada. The bulk goods, of course, are a lot less costly—coal, and you have potash or other bulk goods.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

So the commodities have always been there, but now you have different commodities?

[Gary Leroux]

The commodities coming into Canada are for the Wal-Marts, the Targets, and the Costcos, so they're higher-cost goods, as opposed to bulk goods.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

My question, I guess, is if that is a way we can go in the future to maximize our profitability.

[Gary Leroux]

The projected growth from the new container port in Prince Rupert will increase container movement into Canada, and as Gordon Houston said, the Vancouver Fraser port also has tremendous growth in container traffic, so that will also put the value of the goods higher.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

That trend will continue?

[Gary Leroux]

That trend will continue.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Great.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

We are nearing completion of our time allocation.

I know there are a few short questions, and we have a motion we have to deal with.

I have Monsieur Laframboise and Mr. Volpe on my two-minute list.

[Mario Laframboise, Bloc, Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Section 45 is amended. It says the following:

(3.2) A port authority may lease or licence any federal real property or federal immovable it manages [...]

This will allow you to lease lands that you are currently managing. In the short term, does the Port of Montreal plan to deal with the private sector and lease out part of the space that it owns?

[Patrice Pelletier]

We have short and long-term leaseholders. We have no immediate plans to partially or radically change our way of doing business.

[Mario Laframboise, Bloc, Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC]

Have there been requests of this nature, because of the fact that people are aware of this?

[Patrice Pelletier]

No.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Good.

Mr. Volpe.

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

I find myself in a position where I must say something on behalf of some of my other colleagues, most especially Mr. Don Bell, who could not be here, and especially given that Mr. Houston is here representing the lower mainland ports.

I just want to advise the committee that our B.C. caucus has in fact met not only on the amalgamation of the ports, but also on the impact of Bill C-23 on both the lower mainland and the larger issue of the Pacific gateway. And without putting any words into their mouths and constraining what we will do or say on this, I just thought Mr. Houston might want to know that the members of the Liberal caucus are in sync on movements in that area. That will make Mr. Fast very, very happy, I'm sure. It's important that the stakeholders also know where members of Parliament are coming from—as I say, that has nothing to do with those of us who are much more parochial—because we want to advance the issues of the continental gateway as it starts with and ends in Toronto.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Seeing there is no other comment, I will thank our guests for appearing today. We appreciate your time and the presentations you've made, and I'm sure the committee will take your words into account when we move forward with the bill. Thank you very much.

We're going to take a brief two-minute recess, and then we'll come back and discuss Mr. Volpe's motion and other business.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Perhaps I could have everyone's attention. We have a couple of items, a notice from Mr. Volpe.

Very quickly, if I may, on Thursday, from eleven to twelve o'clock we have the Chamber of Marine Commerce. From twelve to one, I'm wondering if we might set aside that hour for a full committee. I was going to have a subcommittee, but we're all here, everybody's input is valuable--if that's okay.

Next Tuesday we have Mr. Cannon appearing from twelve until one, and I just want the committee to think about whether there's anything we would like to do from eleven to twelve. I don't have anything scheduled at this point.

And we have actually a motion and a request for a motion.

Mr. Jean.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Yes, I missed giving notice to the committee by I think something like six hours on a motion that I have actually personally been interested in for years. And indeed I have heard from many stakeholders, as I think most members of Parliament have. I would like to have the opportunity to present that, but I need unanimous consent to do so, or else I can do it on Thursday. It's in relation to navigable waterways and a study of it. I have it translated in both French and English and I'd like to circulate it, if possible.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

So we would need unanimous consent of the committee to bring this forward after Mr. Volpe's motion.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

It's only to discuss the motion itself, but I'd rather do it in a full committee because I think it's very prevalent in Alberta and the west and also in Quebec for those issues.