Evidence of meeting #37 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was trucks.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Jonathan Burke  Vice-President, Global Market Development, Westport Innovations Inc.

10:35 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

Thank you very much for your time today, and we appreciate all the input. I'm sure you'll see some of the suggestions that you brought forward as part of our report, so thank you.

We're going to take a quick one-minute recess while our guest excuses himself, and then we'll get back to a motion.

We're back.

We have a little bit of business to do. We have a motion before us.

Before I table the motion, I'll just advise the committee again that we're invited by the Railway Association of Canada to a briefing and a luncheon tomorrow. It will be held here at noon, so I hope everyone can attend.

I'll also advise the committee that on Thursday we have some gas companies coming. One of them is going to be talking about the home refuelling program, just for information.

I will now move to the notice of motion by Monsieur Aubin, but I understand Ms. Michaud is going to table it for us.

10:40 a.m.

NDP

Élaine Michaud NDP Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC

I am pleased to table this motion. If you have read it, you see that it is very important for municipalities all across Canada. As you know, aeronautics is under exclusive federal jurisdiction. However, municipalities and provinces have their own responsibilities in relation to land use planning, protection of agricultural land and municipal planning. That is where a degree of conflict arises: between the existing Aeronautics Act and the powers of the municipalities and provinces.

As you may know, I was made aware of this problem after a private aerodrome was built in my riding, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier. Private developers bought some agricultural land in the little town of Neuville and decided to build a small aerodrome for private aircraft. The residents are opposed to it and have been opposed from the outset, as is the municipal council. The purpose of my motion is to show that municipalities' hands are tied, because they are not involved in the process for constructing an aerodrome within their boundaries. The public is not involved in any way either.

In this case, there are in fact significant considerations in Neuville. The landing strip has been built barely 200 feet from a home. The planes pass extremely close to there. The municipality tried to initiate discussions with the developers and find a compromise. Discussions were in fact held.

A memorandum of agreement was signed between the municipality and the developers. Its objective was to regulate the aerodrome's activities. They did not discuss the location, but this was an agreement made between the municipality and the developers. Among other things, some clauses called for there to be as few overflights of the municipality as possible.

I live in Neuville myself, and I can tell you that is not what has happened. The agreement is not sufficient to regulate the activities, even though the developers made commitments. The people who use the aerodrome at present do not always follow the rules. And so there is a glaring problem for municipalities, which cannot manage land use within their jurisdiction as they wish. The provinces are also unable to manage land use and protect agricultural land, which is increasingly scarce as cities expand.

For this reason, I would like the committee to consider this issue. I am open to discussions to try to satisfy all parties. However, there clearly needs to be changes made to the Aeronautics Act to help the municipalities and provinces play their proper role and exercise their powers. I think that in order for a federation to function, we have to make sure it is flexible and cooperative. I think there are ways to harmonize the powers of each level of government to make sure there is full participation and full exercise of each one's powers. That is what this motion is trying to achieve in relation to the Aeronautics Act.

I support this motion and I urge you to do the same. I hope we will be able to discuss it and perhaps make important changes to the Aeronautics Act, to help Canadian municipalities. Neuville is not the only place where this is happening. In fact, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities will be addressing this issue at its annual conference in Saskatoon in June. Clearly, this is an issue of concern to many municipalities all across Canada, and maybe also to your constituents. That is why I am submitting it to the committee.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

Thank you.

I have Mr. Poilievre, and then Ms. Chow.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON

The problem with the motion is that everyone in Canada wants airports in somebody else's municipality. If we said that municipalities had the right to prevent construction, they'd unanimously pass motions saying that airports are fantastic half an hour away.

Unfortunately, we can't support this because it would ground our entire aviation system. That would not be good for jobs, growth, or long-term prosperity.

Thank you.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

Ms. Chow.

10:40 a.m.

NDP

Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON

I have no problem discussing this and perhaps amending the motion to say that the municipalities do not have the right to say no, but there needs to be some kind of consultation with municipalities and provincial governments. So that part of it is at least useful.

I'll move an amendment to.... We could delete a certain part of that motion, but I think there's a vote coming up. I believe the bells are starting now.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

I still have people on the list too.

10:40 a.m.

NDP

Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON

Oh, there's no vote yet. Okay.

If people are still on the list, I'm wondering whether we can deal with this on Thursday, and if we can get the motions clarified or amended in an acceptable way, because in my investigation there seem to be no rules against.... The federal government said it's really not their responsibility because it's a non-profit airport. The provinces have no say, so there's really no land use policy governing these small airports. I'm not talking about Pearson International or a large airport; I'm talking about these non-profit ones that are not governed by anyone. There seems to be a policy vacuum at this point; no one really seems to be in charge of them—not the federal, provincial, or municipal government.

So I'll move this motion for Thursday's consideration, unless there are other speakers on the list.

10:45 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

I'm not certain whether you're moving an amendment or.... Now that it has been tabled, it can certainly be brought forward at the next meeting or any meeting thereafter.

You have a point of order, Mr. Holder?

10:45 a.m.

Conservative

Ed Holder Conservative London West, ON

Could we go to the vote then?

10:45 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

We have people on the list.

10:45 a.m.

Conservative

Ed Holder Conservative London West, ON

I'm asking if they might want to reconsider and just have it dealt with today.

10:45 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

I have Monsieur Coderre.

10:45 a.m.

Liberal

Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC

Mr. Chair, it is 10:45 a.m., and I have a lot of things to say about this issue, which I am very familiar with. The problem is that the minister is not enforcing the existing law. So I will have something to say at the next meeting.

10:45 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

Seeing that the bells are ringing now, I am going to adjourn the meeting and again remind people that tomorrow the Railway Association has invited the committee to a special luncheon, so please feel free to attend. It will be unrecorded, but we will have translation. It's just a general meeting.

The meeting is adjourned.