Evidence of meeting #142 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 border.
A video is available from Parliament.
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
You heard Mr. Reed's example of bringing up a vehicle from Arizona temporarily. He thereafter will be able to apply for the permit and bring up that vehicle for, say, 30 days and bring it back.
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
I have another example from other constituents who mentioned it.
Let's say I have a cottage or a cabin in Montana and I have a jeep that I use for off-roading. That's the example I used at the committee. I want to bring my jeep to, say, Lethbridge where I live, to fix it up, because I have a garage there. Maybe I damaged it while I was off-roading. I understand from Mr. Lawrence that I have to wash my jeep to make sure it's clean—so thank you for that, because I probably wouldn't have done so. I will wash my jeep, then show up at the border with the permit, and I would be allowed entry.
What if my vehicle were non-functional? It's my vehicle; I'm taking it on a trailer across the border towed by a Canadian vehicle, and I'm trying to go to my garage to fix my vehicle. I'm handy; I'm a tinkerer; I'm making an upgrade to it, or it needs a new timing belt or work on its transmission. Can I still do so even though the vehicle is non-functional?
12:30 p.m.
Chief, Importation and Audit Inspection, Department of Transport
The condition of the vehicle is not a distinguishing factor for being allowed in or not. Depending on what this vehicle is.... Again, we don't enforce and regulate on the intended use of the vehicle. If you have a Jeep Cherokee, for example, and you say that you know it's a road vehicle and it's a regulated vehicle, but you never use it on the road, that vehicle is still a regulated vehicle and has to meet standards. However, if it is a true off-road vehicle—a UTV or ATV—there are, again, basic things, and if you're bringing it in temporarily it's a non-issue.
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
I have another question. Under this model that you're proposing here, does it match with.... I guess the permit part doesn't match, but on the fees, will all fees then be waived for that time period? What will happen if you overstay? How long is the permit good for?
12:30 p.m.
Chief, Importation and Audit Inspection, Department of Transport
The Transport Canada permit currently.... It's what we call a schedule VII or TVIS. Basically, it allows for periods of one year or longer with justifiable reasoning. Typically for temporary importation by a Canadian of a U.S.-plated vehicle, the periods will not be that long. It's a month, three month or six month kind of thing.
For those vehicles, the form is quick and easy. It's a series of nine or 10 very basic questions. You receive your certificate and you enter. There are no fees at all associated with temporary importation—only for permanent importation.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON
Thank you, folks, for being here today. It's much appreciated. As well, I want to thank you for the work that I'm sure you've done on this file in the past little while.
I also want to thank you, Mr. Kmiec, for bringing this forward. Although it's a niche area and I'm sure it affects only a few individuals throughout the country, whether it's one, a hundred, a thousand or a million, it is important. I thank you for that. I also want to thank you for bringing the motion that was unanimously supported. You weren't here at the last meeting when I brought up my amendment to that—or change of motion. I just want to make it clear that the reason I did that was to try to expedite this for you, to ensure that. Although sometimes we sit on different sides of the table, we are in fact working together in the best interests of individuals like the ones I'm sure you've discussed this issue with for many months.
My question for Mr. Kmiec is going to be very short and simple.
In what you've brought forward now and in the work that's being done, it has been very well articulated by the department that they are working to amend the safety regulations. You've set a time frame for the proposed amendments and, although they were pre-published in the Canada Gazette, part I, on May 19 of 2018, the intent is now, pending final publication, to have this done by year-end. Then, of course, a lot of these issues would be dealt with and put to rest, so to speak.
Mr. Kmiec, are you satisfied with the direction that the department has taken?
12:35 p.m.
Conservative
12:35 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
Fantastic.
Yes, I think that's great as long as it actually follows through the Canada Gazette, part II. I only have a another couple of procedure questions, so I was wondering....
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
12:35 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
Fantastic. Thank you, Mr. Badawey.
Mr. Lawrence, how involved has CBSA been with this permit process? You've said that right now there's paper-based record-keeping of the vehicles crossing into Canada. Is this just another piece of paper that border agents are going to be collecting? Or is there some electronic communication that will happen between the two departments at some point?
You're creating a new paper-based directorate—
12:35 p.m.
Chief, Importation and Audit Inspection, Department of Transport
No, it's an existing one.
12:35 p.m.
Chief, Importation and Audit Inspection, Department of Transport
We just expanded it to add one more purpose, which is this.
12:35 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
Is it a paper I would have to print or show on my electronic device at the border?
12:35 p.m.
Chief, Importation and Audit Inspection, Department of Transport
For personal importation, yes. If you've heard of the single-window initiative that has to do with commercial importation, that's electronic. For personal importation, yes, it is still a paper process.
12:35 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
Would I still have to print it? Could I not show it on my phone if I have the document there?
12:35 p.m.
Chief, Importation and Audit Inspection, Department of Transport
No. You cannot show it on your phone.
12:35 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
That's kind of odd, isn't it? You said that you had a paper-based system and you're making me do it electronically and then print it so I could show it to Mr. Lawrence's CBSA officers at the border.
12:35 p.m.
Acting Director General, Travellers Branch, Canada Border Services Agency
If I could clarify, the paper I referred to was a temporary import permit. It's a separate administrative document. They're not used in all cases of the temporary importation of a vehicle.
12:35 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
How fast will CBSA officers be aware that, in fact, after this passes Canada Gazette, part II.... How fast will people actually know across your agency that Canadians with American-plated vehicles can bring them in temporarily? How is that training going to be rolled out?
12:35 p.m.
Acting Director General, Travellers Branch, Canada Border Services Agency
Part of my role is to provide the front-line functional guidance in matters related to a regulatory change and policy change. We have a process set up whereby we would issue what's called a “shift briefing” in an operational bulletin. It will reference back to the various authorities governed by Transport, and step-by-step instructions will be issued to the front-line staff so that they understand what the form looks like, how it's applied for and what it means in terms of the application of the various requirements at the border.
12:35 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
The question is back to you, Mr. Demers.
What happens when a Canadian overstays? How long will the time period for these permits be?
