There's a difference between training and security. But to be clear, in the interest of security, we were stuck after 9/11, and we put things in place to facilitate trade. For over seven years now we have been dealing with the issue that workers' constitutional protection rights--to appeal, to due process, to privacy--under Canadian law have been violated under the guise of it being voluntary. But if you don't have the FAST card you can't work. We think that process is wrong.
Talk about duplication. We support one transport security clearance for everybody who needs it under the same rules: protection of the Constitution, protection of the Privacy Act, and protection of collective bargaining. I have dealt with the files of several Quebec members who were trying to get clearances through America, and I have gone to the American embassy--and we achieved clearances--over the simpliest, silliest reasons for denial. I have much more confidence that I can deal with you, sir, people in this room, and the Canadian government on that. I know there are costs involved. If there's a scaled insecurity in costs versus peoples' rights, when you ask people to take away rights, the overall burden should not be what's good for business and what the costs are. I realize we can't have crazy, over-the-top costs, but we should balance it to ensure that peoples' rights are protected, and at least hit those key points with the model they're putting forward.
The other ones that are highlighted in the aviation world don't have appeal. The air-freight forwarding is not robust or appropriate. Under the FAST card, I have to give my information to an American government that can do anything with it.
So we want one system where the rights of workers are protected. It may cost money. In our country, with constitutional rights and this body's responsibility under the Constitution to pass laws that comply with the Constitution, when we're asking people to give up their privacy to help us in the fight against terrorism and for security, the least we can do is to ensure that their rights are protected as much as possible.