Transport Committee on Nov. 29th, 2012

[Gerard McDonald]

Certainly we're aware of wet leasing going on, but with respect to the certification of pilots, the pilots being used would be certified either by us as Transport Canada or by the foreign entity that is responsible for the registration of the aircraft. So they would be certified individuals.

[Mike Sullivan, NDP, York South—Weston, ON]

Well, what we're told is that some of those pilots can't pass Canadian certification, so they're placed on wet-leased planes in order to avoid the regulations. I'm simply putting that out for you folks to consider. It seems like a loophole to me. We have many pilots in Canada who would love to be flying those planes and who are qualified, and the whole idea of using temporary foreign workers to avoid using Canadian workers is a matter, perhaps, not for the Department of Transport but for the ministries of immigration and of human resources.

I have another question, very quickly. The Humber River is a heritage river, designated so by the Canadian heritage rivers service, which was created, in part, under the Navigable Waters Protection Act. Now that the Navigable Waters Protection Act no longer protects the Humber River, what will happen to its designation as a heritage river? How will that be financed and funded, since the whole idea behind heritage rivers was that there was no act required to create them because other acts covered them, one of which was the Navigable Waters Protection Act?

[Gerard McDonald]

I'm not sure that.... Certainly we do not provide any funding for any rivers, no matter what their designation. With respect to the Humber River, as I indicated earlier, if the province indicated it would like to have it covered under the Navigable Waters Protection Act, it can make an application to do so.

With respect to any protections for the river itself, those would revert to common law, as with all of the other rivers that would no longer be covered under the schedule of the act.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

You have time for one more question.

[Mike Sullivan, NDP, York South—Weston, ON]

That's for Monsieur Aubin.

Thank you.

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I experienced a short-lived pleasure earlier in my 40-second discussion with the minister, when I learned that he had filed the response to the requests made by the Parliamentary Budget Officer on October 26. However, it appears from a report dated November 7 that Transport Canada submitted the answer to only one of the three sections requested by the officer. In fact, there is apparently nothing on staff cutbacks or on the impact on services.

Since, once again, I have little time left, approximately one minute, I would like to introduce a motion that the committee ask the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities to provide it with the information—

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Mr. Aubin, you know that I have to rule your motion out of order because there wasn't due notice.

If you have a question, you have about 65 seconds left.

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Then I will take the 65 seconds I have left to read you what O'Brien and Bosc say about this.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Sorry: I have a point of order from Ms. Chow.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

We are about to deal with the supplementary budget. Any motion that is related to the budget is completely in order and notice doesn't have to be given, according to—

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

No, not on this one. It's not in there, and I'm ruling it not admissible.

You have 65 seconds, Mr. Aubin.

Yes, Mr. Aubin, on a point of order?

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Chair, I have a point of order. It states: "A member of a committee may move a motion at any time in the normal course of a meeting..."

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

[Inaudible--Editor]...that's true, and then we vote on it in two days.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

That's right, 48 hours.

So do you want your—

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

No—

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Mr. Aubin, I'm not going to argue about it. Do you want your 65 seconds or not?

I'm going to take that as a no.

I want to thank our witnesses for being here today—

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

I am challenging the chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

You're challenging the chair?

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

We'll call a vote.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Let's have a recorded vote.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

As the chair, I have to ask if the decision of the chair is sustained.

(Ruling of the chair sustained [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[An hon. member]

But the chair can't vote.

[Mike Sullivan, NDP, York South—Weston, ON]

The chair can't vote on a motion of his own....

No.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

I want to thank the witnesses for being here today. Thanks for taking the time to be here.

A number of you, I believe, have question period that you want to....

Order!

The meeting is still going on. We have a motion to deal with the budget.

Order, please.

We have a motion to deal with the estimates, if somebody wishes to move it.

Can I have some order, please?

In regard to the supplementary estimates, I have a number of questions, some under Transport.

Shall vote 60b under Foreign Affairs and International Trade carry?

FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE National Capital Commission Vote 60b—Payments to the National Capital Commission for capital expenditures..........$1

(Vote 60b agreed to)

Shall votes 1b, 5b, 30b, 45b, 50b and 60b, under Transport, carry?

TRANSPORT Department Vote 1b—Operating expenditures..........$1 Vote 5b—Capital expenditures..........$1 The Federal Bridge Corporation Limited Vote 30b—Payments to The Federal Bridge Corporation Limited..........$11,241,693 Office of Infrastructure of Canada Vote 45b—Contributions..........$108,366,300 The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc. Vote 50b—Payments to The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc...........$40,475,000 VIA Rail Canada Inc. Vote 60b—Payments to VIA Rail Canada Inc...........$79,661,000

(Votes 1b, 5b, 30b, 45b, 50b, and 60b agreed to)

Shall the chair report the supplementary estimates (B) 2012-13 to the House?