Transport Committee on March 10th, 2009

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, meeting number seven.

Orders of the day: pursuant to the order of reference of Friday, February 13, 2009, Bill C-9, an act to amend the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, 1992.

We do have some amendments that are going to come forward, and we do have some guests who are joining us to hopefully steer us through. Rather than trust my spelling and my pronunciation, I'll just have you introduce yourselves across the table, please, and then we'll proceed with clause-by-clause.

[Jacques Savard, Director, Regulatory Affairs Branch, Transportation of Dangerous Goods, Department of Transport]

I'm Jacques Savard, director of regulatory affairs with the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Directorate.

[Marie-France Dagenais, Director General, Transportation of Dangerous Goods, Department of Transport]

I'm Marie-France Dagenais, director general, Transportation of Dangerous Goods Directorate.

[Peter Coyles, Special Advisor to the Director General, Operations, Department of Transport]

I'm Peter Coyles, special advisor to the director general for Transportation of Dangerous Goods Directorate.

[Linda Wilson, Counsel, Legal Services, Department of Transport]

I'm Linda Wilson, legal counsel.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Thank you, and welcome. Hopefully, you'll be able to assist us in this process.

As decided at the last meeting, we'll proceed with clause-by-clause consideration. I'll start by calling clause 1.

(Clause 1 agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I have notice of an amendment to clause 2, from the government side. It's one you just got; it should be in front of you. The motion is that Bill C-9 in clause 2 be amended by adding, in the French version only, line 7 on page 4, the words

“...à leur entrée au Canada...“

as follows:

“...expédition qui les accompagne à leur entrée au Canada comme étant...”

I need a person to move it. Mr. Jean moves it.

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

Yes, sir, it simply brings in the English to the French.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Monsieur Laframboise.

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

Just a moment, you are going faster than I am.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

We're on line 7, page 4, and the words à leur entrée au Canada. We would be adding that to the phrase.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

What would those words replace?

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

Actually, they would be added.

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

My understanding, if I may, once you've had an opportunity, Mr. Gaudet....

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

It is clause 2, page 4.

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

My understanding, if I may, is that the government's position is that entry into Canada, although some jurilinguists believe the notion of entry into Canada is implied in the French text.... They did that to bring it into consistency and to clarify the provision to ensure the Canadian courts give the same interpretation in French and English.

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

My problem is that I have the version from the package. I cannot find the reference. I am having a lot of trouble. Is there another version? I am on page 4 all right, but, for me, it is line 5.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

It's been moved by Mr. Jean that we make the amendment indicated to clause 2.

(Amendment agreed to)

(Clause 2 as amended agreed to)

(Clauses 3 and 4 agreed to)

(On clause 5—Prohibition)

On clause 5, we have an amendment. It will be NDP amendment number 1.

Mr. Bevington, you have two amendments pertaining to this particular clause. We have numbered them NDP-1 and NDP-2. For you, the choice would be as to which one you would like to introduce first.

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

Mr. Chair, I guess I'd introduce NDP-1 first.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Okay, that's good. We've marked it that way, but it may not be the way you wanted it presented.

You can move it and tell us why.

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

I'd like to move this amendment to clause 5. The amendment will clearly lay out the purposes that I've heard this act has been brought forward to deal with: the issue of international requirements for transportation security clearances. That's why the government has brought forward this bill: for amendments to transportation security clearances. That's how it's been presented.

This amendment simply ensures that this will be the purpose of the bill and that it won't be used for any other purpose and for any other further additions. If the government wants to come forward with further transportation security clearance requirements for Canadians within the country, they'll have to put forward another bill.

If, as the minister clearly has said, this is the purpose of the transportation security clearance being requested, then this amendment will ensure that this is what this bill will do and what this law will accomplish.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Thank you.

Mr. Jean.

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

Could I have clarification, first of all from Mr. Bevington and then afterwards from the department?

Specifically, are you suggesting, then, that persons who transport nitroglycerine, or large quantities of chlorine, or things like that, will not have to get security clearances of any kind?

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

Those people are already licensed in Canada.

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

So they would not be subject to this, as long as—