Transport Committee on Oct. 25th, 2018

[Gagan Sikand, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

If that were the case, Tom, could we talk about fragmenting the type of flights then, if you had that proximity to Pearson?

[Tom Driedger]

It's very difficult. Airlines have alliance partners. They use flights domestically that will fly out internationally. Split operations are not very efficient or useful.

[Gagan Sikand, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Mr. Wrzesnewskyj, you have a minute and 30 seconds.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

I'd like to follow up on the whole question of accountability.

The GTAA has a lack of trust when it comes to relations with the community. As was mentioned, this noise committee appears to be a facade. They are a regional monopoly. They appear to not be accountable to anyone. They are an arm's-length non-profit, so we don't even see a lot of the inner workings and decision-making.

You've lived in the neighbourhood for a very long time. At the end of the day, it's a federal responsibility. Do you feel that Transport Canada has lived up to its responsibilities to the electorate in your neighbourhoods?

[Richard Boehnke]

There's little evidence of it.

[Peter Bayrachny]

I would say no. I agree.

[Tom Driedger]

They no longer have the ability to understand how airports operate. Years ago, there was this flow of people from regions to airports to headquarters, and Transport Canada was knowledgeable. That knowledge is gone now. There is no airports branch.

I don't think they really have a deep understanding of the way they operate and how they affect people, and it appears to me that they do not have the mindset to go after the airlines and the airports to make the tough decisions. They should be the ones who are leading the charge, but I get the feeling that Transport Canada is in the corner with the airline industry, and the community is on the outside looking in.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Thank you so much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you very much.

We have a very tight meeting today, because we have to be in the House by 10 o'clock.

The witnesses can just stay for a moment.

Rather than go in camera, I'm going to ask the committee about a suggestion we have of an additional meeting on the study we're doing and that we invite Transport Canada, Air Canada and WestJet. We've had some interest from them, and they are part of this issue as well.

Do we have everybody's approval to schedule one more meeting with some of the airlines and Transport Canada?

[Ron Liepert, Conservative, Calgary Signal Hill, AB]

Could I make a suggestion that if we have Air Canada and WestJet here, we get somebody who is a decision-maker from those two companies, and not their GR guys?

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

I certainly will put in the request.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Madam Chair—

[Ron Liepert, Conservative, Calgary Signal Hill, AB]

I would suggest, actually, that we do more than put in a request. We as a committee have the right to call witnesses, and when we ask these companies, so often we get their GR guys who say, “Well, it's not my decision.”

I'd like decision-makers, whether it's the CEO or the COO. If we're going to take our time, let's get decision-makers at the table, and not their GR guys.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

That's a terrific suggestion.

Go ahead, Borys.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

I support this. Of course, we should be judicious in using this, but we do have subpoena powers as committees.

I'd also like to suggest Nav Canada. They are a very important part of this particular puzzle.

[Ron Liepert, Conservative, Calgary Signal Hill, AB]

I think they're already on it.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Oh, they're on the roster.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Yes, they're on next Tuesday.

[Ron Liepert, Conservative, Calgary Signal Hill, AB]

They're crucial to this.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

On one other committee business item—

Sorry; go ahead, Monsieur Aubin.

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

Are we talking about an additional hour or an additional meeting, or two hours of committee?

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

It would need to be a two-hour block.

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

Okay.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

You have a budget in front of you that needs to be adopted for this study. Everybody is in agreement with that.

As just a reminder, the preliminary recommendations on our interim trade corridors report should be in by November 1, if possible.

We are having the first nations come later on in November, but our analysts say they can move forward on that report and add to it following that other meeting.

Wellington is blocked off, but our buses are there.

The committee is adjourned.