Evidence of meeting #15 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was information.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Hoang Mai NDP Brossard—La Prairie, QC
It's in terms of making things public and publishing in the Canada Gazette.
Sylvain Lachance Executive Director, Regulatory and Quality Assurance, Marine Safety and Security, Department of Transport
There's a lot of consultation that would already take place within the public with our RAC system that's in place, and we were looking at possibly enhancing those bodies.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
Is there a lot of discussion with the public in advance of the preparation of the submission of these plans? Is that what you're suggesting?
Executive Director, Regulatory and Quality Assurance, Marine Safety and Security, Department of Transport
A lot of consultation with the public will be entailed previous to putting in place, not the plans themselves, but the regime for oil spill cleanup, and so on.
Liberal
Executive Director, Regulatory and Quality Assurance, Marine Safety and Security, Department of Transport
The consultation will take place mainly with our CMAC system that we have in place, and that's open to the public, plus our regional advisory council that is in place.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
Are there any national security concerns that would arise if these plans were made public?
Executive Director, Regulatory and Quality Assurance, Marine Safety and Security, Department of Transport
No.
Executive Director, Regulatory and Quality Assurance, Marine Safety and Security, Department of Transport
Not that I know of, but it's a possibility.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
Thank you.
(Amendment negatived)
(Clause 60 agreed to)
(Clauses 61 and 62 agreed to)
(On clause 63)
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
We have amendment PV-3, moved by Ms. May.
The floor is yours, Ms. May.
Green
Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
Mr. Chair, this amendment is similar, but deals with a different type of information that is collected under this act. This relates to clause 63 of the bill that deals with what in the old act was section 168. I would create a section 168.4 as an addition to what's found on page 58. You will find these terms under proposed section 168.3:
If the Minister believes on reasonable grounds that an oil handling facility has discharged, is discharging or is likely to discharge oil, that the oil pollution prevention plan or the oil pollution emergency plan for an oil handling facility does not meet the requirements set out in the regulations or that the operator of an oil handling facility does not have the procedures, equipment and resources required—
—the minister may then take steps.
What my amendment adds in is that when the minister becomes aware of this situation, that an oil handling facility has discharged, is discharging or is likely to discharge oil, and isn't prepared to deal with the emergency, the Minister shall prepare and make public a report in respect of those circumstances so that the community becomes aware of any incident either past or prospective or a lack of preparedness.
It's once the minister is aware of those things. Again, this isn't an additional step. The minister is already aware of these things. It's just a question of opening it up so the public is aware of it as well.
NDP
Hoang Mai NDP Brossard—La Prairie, QC
I'm a bit surprised to see that the government members are voting against making the reports public. Officials from various departments have told us that it wasn't really a matter of national security.
If we draw a parallel and look at what's happening with railway safety, we see that people are worried, that they are asking questions and that they want all the information made public. Even municipal officials don't have the information. It is clear that concern is growing.
I have trouble wrapping my head around the fact that government members are voting against publishing the reports without even explaining why. So my question is more for the members of the government. I hope to get an answer.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
is there any further discussion on the amendment?
(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])
(Clause 63 agreed to)
(Clauses 64 to 79 inclusive agreed to)
Now we move on to the short title.
Shall clause 1 carry?