Transport Committee on April 28th, 2009

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

So they're all polluters.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Everything that emits carbon is a polluter, yes.

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

Do we have regulations in place to start collecting that money?

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

The government doesn't have to take money into the consolidated revenue fund. We can, through a variety of means--through regulation, through memoranda of understanding, through agreements--facilitate action. I just don't think that every single action has to come from the consolidated revenue fund.

I believe in polluter pays. When I was Minister of the Environment, it was one of the things we tried to do. For example, one of the things we did was eliminate the tax subsidies the previous Liberal government had given to the oil sands. Rather than us giving it to the oil sands, they have to clean up their own act.

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

If we could go back to the estimates, Mr. Baird, I notice here that you have a great interest in transit strategy. And there's a line here for contributions to the Regional Municipality of Durham for a long-term transit strategy, but it's only for $1.881 million. Does that indicate that some members around the cabinet table have greater weight than others?

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Certainly--

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

That was the Minister of Finance who probably put that in, was it not?

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

It could have been the Minister of International Cooperation.

I can tell you that we provide a variety of support to municipal transit authorities. We generally are not in the business of operational funding. By and large, it's capital funding. We are working--

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

All what's happening right now is simply a consultation period for the next 50 years. It's $2 million for the Minister of Finance's riding.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Jean, on a point of order.

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

This is the third time, with respect, that Mr. Volpe has cut off the minister during an answer. I would ask that if he's going to ask the question, he at least wait for the answer.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Thank you for that comment.

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

I'm sorry, usually--

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I won't penalize your time, but I think you have to give the minister....

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

I'm usually very courteous, so what I'll do is apologize for being discourteous.

Let me go immediately to the very next question, then, Mr. Baird, because we're talking about putting shovels in the ground and doing the work that needs to be done. You asked the House for approval to spend money. The House gave you the authority, especially under vote 35, which allows you to circumvent the usual process. How many times did you use vote 35 in allocating the funds required for the programs you outlined, and which ones were they?

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

I'd encourage you to speak with the President of the Treasury Board. He administers vote 35, as you know.

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

So you don't have a list? And you've never used it?

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

I would encourage you to speak to the President of the Treasury Board, who would be better able to define that.

One of things we are doing, at Parliament's request, is reporting back, as we did in March. We'll be reporting back in June and in December, and we'll certainly honour the commitment we made to Parliament to do just that.

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

So we'll have that list then--is that what you're saying?

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

You bet.

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

Okay.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Monsieur Laframboise.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Minister, you have faithfully appeared before the committee whenever you were asked to do so. That is why we thought that you were ill last week. I hope that you feel better, and thank you for being here.

My first question is for Mr. Merrifield.

Earlier you said that you were a manager and that you deal with Canada Post. In terms of budget transactions and the amounts allocated by the Government of Canada, there has been very little progress with Canada Post. You ordered a strategic review of the Canada Post Corporation and told the House of Commons that you would make the results of that review or the report available.

Have you decided on a date, or can you commit to submitting the document to this committee?

[Rob Merrifield, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

Thank you for the question.

It was three very distinguished Canadians who followed through on the request for the strategic review. I prefer to call it a corporate review, because that more closely defines exactly what it is. We have examined it closely and are very close to having it go public. I've committed to make sure that once it goes public we consult with all the users, including the unions, so as to be able to deal with a response to it.

The report isn't as critical as what we do coming out of the report. We'll be looking forward, very shortly, to being able to come forward so that Canadians know exactly where we're going.

I'm very thankful to the individuals who followed through on this corporate plan or strategic review at Canada Post.

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

Is it too early to say whether there will be any budget implications, that is, whether the government will have to set aside money to help Canada Post? If I understand correctly, there is nothing set aside as of yet, and as long as it is not made public, you will not do anything.