Evidence of meeting #122 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was airport.
A video is available from Parliament.
Oakville North—Burlington, Lib.
I think you're going to get back to me, as there's about a minute left.
Is that right, Chair?
Oakville North—Burlington, Lib.
Minister, you've had conversations with Air Canada about the fix for the Airbus that would deal with a lot of the airplane noise, which my constituents contact me about fairly regularly.
I'm wondering if you could update us on your conversations with Air Canada on the Airbus noise issue.
Liberal
Marc Garneau Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
Yes. What we did specifically was to speak to Air Canada, which has an Airbus fleet. Some of these Airbus 320s have this device that protrudes below the left wing, the port wing, and it creates quite a bit of noise as the airplane is coming in. There is a fix for that where the wing can be made flush, and it is something that Air Canada has undertaken to do on all its fleet when it brings those airplanes in for regularly scheduled maintenance. That will be done over time. The process is under way. It affects mostly the GTA, but it does affect some other airports as well.
This is good news. In terms of the specific schedule on when the last one will be completed, I don't have that at the moment, but it is something that we can ask Air Canada.
I do have some statistics, Mr. Sikand, and I'll get back to you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Thank you very much, Minister.
We're moving on to Mr. Jeneroux, for five minutes.
Matt Jeneroux Edmonton Riverbend, CPC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister, for being here. It's great to see the minister show up for supplementary estimates, unlike the infrastructure minister. I feel we all collectively agree that was a bit of a disaster at the last meeting.
Minister, we have a premier from Alberta who's requesting increased rail capacity—up to 120,000 extra cars. She has requested support from the federal government and apparently hasn't received it. There's nothing in the fiscal update; “crude by rail” isn't a line in there.
I'm curious as to whether that's something you're considering or not.
Liberal
Marc Garneau Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
Thank you for your question.
I have seen the letter from Premier Notley that was sent to the Prime Minister, and I recognize the situation Alberta is in. The request was for additional train capacity. As you know, oil by train is approaching 300,000 barrels a day, and there was demand for an additional capability of 120,000 barrels. We're looking at that, but the situation is the following.
It is something that can be worked out with the railways. Most of the tanker cars are owned either by the oil companies or by shippers; they are not primarily owned by the railways. The railways provide the locomotives to move things. It is something that is a possibility if a deal is done on a commercial basis with the railways.
At the same time, as I mentioned a little earlier, we want to make sure that we move our grain, and other products as well. It's a balancing act that needs to be accomplished. I am definitely aware of Alberta's need and desire to move more oil until we can have more pipeline capacity.
November 27th, 2018 / 8:55 a.m.
Edmonton Riverbend, CPC
Speaking of pipeline capacity, just to pick up my colleague's line of questioning, you appear to be losing the argument on that one with Minister McKenna as well. We've heard from a number of stakeholders at this committee, through our travel across the country, that initiatives like the carbon tax are detrimental to their competitive nature.
Are these things that you're bringing up in cabinet—that you're hearing the same issues from the stakeholders you're meeting with?
Liberal
Marc Garneau Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
You won't be surprised that I don't necessarily share your assessment of the situation. As I've said, and as my government has said many times before—
Edmonton Riverbend, CPC
Be clear, Minister. Have you or have you not heard that the carbon tax is detrimental to competitiveness?
Liberal
Marc Garneau Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
No—except for the Conservative Party making allegations.
Liberal
Marc Garneau Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
I think most Canadians are enlightened and realize that there is a cost associated with pollution. We in Canada believe it is possible to actually advance the economy and also be responsible.
Edmonton Riverbend, CPC
But you're exempting the largest emitters. I believe the parliamentary secretary even admitted, in question period the other day, that it is chasing investments away. How can you sit here today and say that you haven't heard from anybody who's telling you that the carbon tax is making it uncompetitive to do business here in Canada?
I invite you to just look at the protest that happened in Alberta. A thousand people in the streets of Calgary were saying those exact same things. They're unemployed. These are families before Christmastime. They are directly blaming initiatives like the carbon tax and your tanker moratorium, initiatives that continue to drive business out of this country. Yet you're sitting here today and telling us that nobody has told you that the carbon tax is detrimental to business.
Liberal
Marc Garneau Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
Well, you weren't here three years ago—I was—when the previous government was in place.
Edmonton Riverbend, CPC
I'm glad you follow my political career so closely, Minister.
Liberal
Marc Garneau Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
They didn't do anything. They had this fancy thing called a sectorial approach, which they never did anything with.
Edmonton Riverbend, CPC
—is essentially giving you your talking points on this.