In another vein, Minister, you are certainly aware of the fact that ship piloting in the Great Lakes region currently exists for Canadian ships. There is an exclusion regarding the obligation to have pilots in the Great Lakes region. Contrary to popular belief, the Great Lakes do not start at the mouth of Lake Ontario, but start as far back as the Saint-Lambert locks.
As you know, last April, there was a leak traced back to a drilling platform in Louisiana. It is not necessarily related to piloting, but you know how concerned people are about environmental considerations, specifically people living along the St. Lawrence River and on the network linking the St. Lawrence to the Great Lakes. People are worried. We are fortunate in that we do have a maritime highway composed of the St. Lawrence, the locks and the Great Lakes. Nevertheless, it involves risks.
You have only recently taken up your position as minister, but your deputy ministers must certainly know that pressure is being brought to bear by shipbuilders on the issue of pilot qualifications. They would like self-regulation. In other words, they would decide whether their captains are qualified enough to operate in the locks and Great Lakes regions. It is as though you are asking Colonel Sanders to watch over the hen house. Allowing the industry to regulate itself would be bizarre. In any event, your government has already had the opportunity to object to similar practices. I could refer you to fifteen or so countries throughout the world, and namely the United States, for whom this is the United States Coast Guard's responsibility. I have here a poll conducted by Nanos Research. In 10 ridings, some of which are represented by your colleagues from the Conservative Party, the ridings of Burlington, Essex, Kingston and the Islands, Leeds—Grenville, Mississauga South, St. Catharines, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, Sarnia—Lambton, Windsor—Tecumseh and Welland, 89% of the 1,000 people polled by Nanos Research, a recognized firm, stated that the safe operation of commercial ships were of extreme importance to them.
Does the Conservative government intend to allow the industry to self-regulate?