Transport Committee on Nov. 18th, 2009

[Mel Fruitman]

I think there are very few flaws in it. I think it's a very well-crafted bill. I think there are a couple of minor changes that could be made.

If anybody has any suggestion of introducing a bill that they think would be preferable to this one, then I'd like to see that done post-haste and not have this thing just thrown away for another five or ten years.

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Thank you.

[The Vice-Chair (Hon. Joseph Volpe), Liberal, Joe Volpe]

Colleagues, the bells will ring in about three minutes. We have a small item of business to attend to.

I'm going to thank—

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

I have two points of order in relation to the witnesses, one in particular. Can I deal with that now, Mr. Chair?

[The Vice-Chair (Hon. Joseph Volpe), Liberal, Joe Volpe]

You can deal with it, but you'll have to do it very quickly.

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

I will.

My first point of order is on the issue of good faith. I'm wondering whether or not we're playing politics.

I know that Mr. Byrne has been here for 12 years. He was a minister in the previous Liberal government. I'm wondering if he could provide to us what he did, actually, during that period of time that he was here--before this government--in relation to this particular issue. He put the motion on the federal government, and some of us feel like he's playing politics with this issue.

That's my first point of order. My second is in relation to Mr. Fruitman.

We checked the website to find out his expertise and what kind of education or background he had in relation to the airline industry and the chain of supply as well as the maintenance, unions, baggage handlers, pilots, connectors, etc., because it's a very complicated issue. I didn't hear from him, in relation to his paper, what that was or what expertise he used to come to the conclusions he did.

I was going to suggest for future reference to put it on the website, because your CV is not on the website, or to provide that information as you make your presentation.

[The Vice-Chair (Hon. Joseph Volpe), Liberal, Joe Volpe]

Thank you, Mr. Jean, for raising these two points. I'm not sure they're points of order.

With respect to Mr. Byrne, he can speak for himself. As far as the committee is concerned, his track record as a former minister in a government is not what we're discussing.

As far as Mr. Fruitman is concerned, I'm sure he appreciates any advice you can give him regarding what credentials he has, but we invited him, and we didn't invite him to—

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

I meant in relation—

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Vice-Chair (Hon. Joseph Volpe), Liberal, Joe Volpe]

Mr. Byrne.

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Thank you for recognizing my point of order.

One thing I didn't do, Mr. Chair, is I didn't go to my constituents, tell them I would support the airline passenger bill of rights, vote for it, and then organize lobbyists to actively engage in trying to thwart that particular effort. The minister, however, did exactly that.

[Jean-Yves Roy, Bloc, Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

It's not a point of order.

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

I don't see where Mr. Jean's comment was a point of order either, but I think it needed a response.

[The Vice-Chair (Hon. Joseph Volpe), Liberal, Joe Volpe]

I think we're just going to engage in a lot of back-and-forth.

I'd like to turn the committee's attention to one item. The committee has to report on this bill, as we recognize, by November 25. That means that on Monday we would have to do clause-by-clause or address the issues of this bill in whatever way the committee wishes to do it.

The chairman will be here on Monday. I ask all committee members to come prepared to do that. Those of you who do have amendments, please present them by Friday so that the clerk can distribute them.

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

Are you making a motion in that respect?

[The Vice-Chair (Hon. Joseph Volpe), Liberal, Joe Volpe]

No, I'm just advising everybody, that's all.

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

We will not be presenting--

[The Vice-Chair (Hon. Joseph Volpe), Liberal, Joe Volpe]

No, no, I said “if” you have them. If you don't have them, obviously you're not constrained to abide by that good counsel.

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

Mr. Chair, if I may, we dealt with this particular issue, I believe, at the last meeting. Did we not vote on the issue, in relation to bringing amendments? And it was defeated.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Yes.

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

I would suggest that the committee has already directly dealt with the issue of bringing amendments before that date.

[The Vice-Chair (Hon. Joseph Volpe), Liberal, Joe Volpe]

Thank you very much, Mr. Jean. My advice still stands.

Thank you.

The meeting is adjourned.