Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning, members of the committee.
The CMPA is a professional body that represents Canada's licensed pilots from the Avalon Peninsula to Vancouver Island. With me today is Captain Rae, Vice-President for the Atlantic region, where 60% of the oil transported in Canadian waters transits every year. Also with me is Captain Michael Burgess, who is representing the pilots operating in the industrial heart of the continent, the Great Lakes region.
For my part, I am an active pilot on the St. Lawrence, and since 2014 I've been president of the International Maritime Pilots' Association, which represents pilots in over 50 countries.
Canada's pilotage system has been highly effective, and some 50,000 pilotage assignments are completed every year without incident because its foundation is rock solid. Safe navigation is recognized as a matter of paramount public interest, and it is delivered by rigorously trained pilots who are allowed to exercise their best judgment, independent of undue external influence, in a system that takes special account of unique local circumstances.
Twenty per cent of Canadian exports and imports are moved by water, which results in cargo worth over $210 billion yearly being transported by pilots to its destination. Through their work, pilots play an important role in bringing our natural resources to market in an environmentally responsible manner and in supporting the country's international trade. Not only does high-performance pilotage contribute to prevent accidents and avoid cleanup costs, but also it provides near certainty that access to critical marine infrastructure such as ports will not be compromised, thereby avoiding costly disruptions to supply chain operations.
The amendments to the Pilotage Act respect this strong foundation. By reaffirming the most fundamental principles of the system, such as the professional independence of pilots and high standards for their licensing, the legislation reflects the preoccupation of Canadians for environmentally responsible practices.
One outcome of the Pilotage Act review that is gratifying is the clear conclusion, reached in the independent studies commissioned by Transport Canada, that Canada's system performs remarkably well. I will quote from the study by the AIM group on “Economic and Competitive Considerations in the Provision of Marine Pilotage in Canada”, in particular the conclusion that “in the context of the national economy as a whole, pilotage costs do not negatively affect Canada's trade competitiveness for importers and exporters”. That is especially noteworthy.
At the same time, the legislation suggests important changes. For example, the 2019 Pilotage Act brings forward a new clarity of purpose by enunciating principles that all stakeholders can support, including the promotion of safe navigation in the public interest, a focus on efficiency and cost-effectiveness and a requirement that risk-management tools be used effectively and that evolving technologies be taken into consideration.
This statement of principles reflects accommodations made by all parties, with each party able to see their interests represented in the result. Moreover, it reflects not only great balance between the interests of various marine stakeholders, but remarkable balance between the interests of the marine transportation sector and the public interest.
The statement of purpose and principles is a great illustration of the amendments as a whole. They constitute a single package that cannot easily be changed without disrupting the remarkable equilibrium achieved through the process undertaken. Because of this, we are not suggesting changes to the proposed legislation. We think that other parties should also respect the integrity of the whole as put forward. The package before you was achieved through a long process of deliberation, and it is the right package.
In closing, let me underline a few more ways by which the legislation improves an already robust system. The provision dealing with compliance and enforcement has been brought up to par with other legislation. These measures are healthy and make application of the act more certain. The important role given to a specialized tribunal is a good example. The amendments also provide for transparency in the contracting of pilotage services by pilotage authorities, with contracts now available to all interested parties.
The act is also modernized, in that it allows the minister to administer and enforce it using electronic means.