Transport Committee on Feb. 11th, 2014

[François Marier]

Then it could be a government.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Are there provisions in this bill anywhere at all that talk about revising the way in which we can move against those responsible for spills on public or crown lands?

[François Marier]

If public or crown lands are contaminated and there is restoration work undertaken to restore that, if it's demonstrated that the restoration work will accelerate the restoration of the natural ecosystem, then yes. I mean, you can then claim that back to the shipowner, and the shipowner will pay.

We have to remember that this is strict liability, which means that you don't have to prove negligence or fault.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

I understand that. I'm just confused, because earlier Mr. Meisner was asked the question about ecological damage, and his answer was that you can recover, and I quote, “to the extent that you can put an economic value on it”.

How does Bill C-3 help us put an economic value on ecosystem services?

[François Marier]

I think the economic value he was referring to was the cost of doing the actual restoration.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Your time has expired, Mr. McGuinty.

We'll now move to Mr. Watson, for five minutes.

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

You say that Bill C-3 is a very important piece of legislation. We've heard already today that it improves on what is currently a non-existent regime for compensation related to hazardous and noxious substance spills and chemical spills in our waters, including those off the west coast. It's important, of course, that we're here working on that particular matter. I think Canadians would consider that to be in their interests.

I understand, Mr. Chair, that radio station CHEK in B.C. is reporting that the chief opposition critic is signing books today, but that aside—

[Robert Chisholm, NDP, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

What does that have to do with anything?

[An hon. member]

That's a shot at us.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Do you want to raise a point of order on it?

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Essex, ON]

—on the marine liability, the world-class tanker safety system, Mr. Meisner, I want to go back to your answer just a couple of questions ago, regarding the terminology “world-class tanker safety system”. That is designed to create public awareness of how a number of programs that are at play come together in a unifying fashion in order to have a tanker safety system, and the establishment of the excellence of those particular components will, in fact, be world-leading.

Is that accurate as to what world-class tanker safety system is and it's not merely a slogan?

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Chair, on a point of order, with respect to Mr. Watson's comment which was a cheap shot at one of our colleagues, he is also the person who actually said we had to talk about issues here since we have witnesses here.

[An hon. member]

We are.

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

He is taking a cheap shot, and also mentioning who is here and who is not, which is not very parliamentary, so I am asking—

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

I didn't hear any names mentioned.

[An hon. member]

He said “opposition critic”.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

You are right that we are supposed to stick to the topic.

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Chair, could Mr. Watson withdraw his comment?

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

She wrote her own book?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

At least she wrote her own book.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Did she?

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Could Mr. Watson just withdraw his comments?

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

I didn't know she had written her own book. I don't know what that has to do with today's meeting

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

There are no ghostwriters.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Okay.

Mr. Watson.