Transport Committee on March 5th, 2009

[Alan Brousseau]

I don't think there are any charter issues. I'm not here to speak about the charter issues and I'm certainly not an expert on the charter issues.

Our experience has been that neither in the act nor in regulations is a security clearance clearly defined. Really, all we're looking to do is to make sure that if somebody wants a security clearance, those people who are tasked with making the decision on whether the person gets that clearance or not have the best available information provided to them. In no way do we promote or speak about an individual who has a criminal record being barred from doing something. That's not our decision. Those are the decisions of you folks, as well as the regulators. All we're here to do is to provide those people making the decisions with a full, complete, and accurate picture of who the individual is and what they have done, nothing more than that. The decision after that falls upon you individuals, again.

[Colin Mayes, Conservative, Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Could I follow up a little on that?

[Alan Brousseau]

Sure.

[Colin Mayes, Conservative, Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

On the implementation of this initiative by U.S. Homeland Security, was there any individual who actually appealed to the court, concerned about their right?

[Alan Brousseau]

Has there been anybody who has appealed to the court with respect to the determination of the TSA on whether they're vetted or not?

[Dick Spencer]

If they were denied, do you mean?

[Colin Mayes, Conservative, Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Not if they were denied, just the fact that they had a right not to comply.

[Dick Spencer]

Not on this program. In the U.S. there have been several attempts by various agencies to prohibit certain types of background checks, but not on this program, that we're aware of. In fact, the industry--American Trucking Association, the regional motor carriers association--got on board that the criminal background check, being fingerprint-based, was probably the best-case scenario to allow the government to conduct proper security assessments.

[Colin Mayes, Conservative, Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

With that, I will thank our guests today. Again, I think the seeking of information is always good, and I know you have provided us with lots to think about, so I appreciate your time.

For the committee members, on Tuesday we'll go into clause-by-clause. I know that amendments have been submitted. We'll deal with them on Tuesday, and I'm hoping we can complete the clause-by-clause on Tuesday. If it takes an extra five or ten minutes, we'll take that to do it.

Mr. Bevington.

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

Will we be going back into the steering committee to look at the agenda as we move forward?

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I was thinking probably about next Thursday. If we had clause-by-clause done on Tuesday, then we would have a planning session for the week that would allow us to contact witnesses and bring them in for the following week.

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

I'm a bit concerned. When I talked earlier we had some agreement with the parliamentary secretary about dealing with the criteria for the infrastructure programs, evaluation. We're fast moving to the probation report period, and we haven't done that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I think the rule of the committee traditionally has been that we would deal with government bills as they come out of the House. I think at the planning committee we can certainly determine a day for that.

Mr. Jean.

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

Besides, Mr. Chair, it's a Liberal-NDP probationary period, so we really don't have to worry about anything.

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

You didn't get that?

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Okay, I will commit that it will be on the agenda.

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

We have not put the Conservative-Liberal coalition on probation.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Thank you.

The meeting is adjourned.