Evidence of meeting #20 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 north.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Mr. Sikand has indicated that he has some questions. You were going to pass it...?
Liberal
Liberal
Kate Young Liberal London West, ON
One of the recommendations in the report is that the government commit to strengthening its reputation as a world leader in aviation regulation and certification. Can you expand on that and what you expect that would mean?
Former Advisor, Canada Transportation Act Review Panel, As an Individual
That flowed from the experience our chair had in the aerospace review he conducted several years ago. As an aerospace nation, a country that has a long and proud history of participation in the aerospace sector, we simply wanted to reiterate the importance of a regulatory framework and the necessary budgetary support for that, to ensure that our stamp of approval as a national regulatory system would continue to be world class and accepted around the world, whether it's the certification of aircraft or new aircraft.
Former Advisor, Canada Transportation Act Review Panel, As an Individual
Certification certainly includes aircraft maintenance.
Liberal
Gagan Sikand Liberal Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
Really quickly with regard to CATSA and passenger screening, I was made aware by a panel at a different committee that there's no international standard. Should we gauge and evaluate our airports based on how the United States processes passengers?
Former Advisor, Canada Transportation Act Review Panel, As an Individual
Again, it's an extremely worthwhile point because we don't even have a national standard, let alone an international one. Other jurisdictions, whether it's the U.K. or in Hong Kong, can tell you whether they're meeting a national standard in the number of passengers they screen over x number of minutes or hours, or whatever it is.
In Canada, we've left that completely blank. One of the recommendations we've made is to pursue an enforceable standard so that service providers can be held to account, so that it's not just a case of, it's great today, it's bad tomorrow, etc. There's no national rule.
Liberal
Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON
There are small airports in Canada that haven't been able to access federal infrastructure money in the past for very technical reasons. I wonder if you could comment and offer any insights on that.
Former Advisor, Canada Transportation Act Review Panel, As an Individual
We didn't look specifically at infrastructure programs and the small airports. At least for the northern airports, we have called for specific funds to be devoted to things like improvement in navigational aids and runways.
Another member raised the issue earlier of regional airports and the important role they play as part of the national air transportation system. To the extent we could, we looked at that in the context of northern airports and how, in many cases, they would constantly fall lower and lower on the priority list and would never get the appropriate amount of funding. So I think smaller airports deserve some degree of dedicated, earmarked funding that they can access readily. To the extent that we'd be able to expand what we've recommended for the north to smaller airports in the south, we wouldn't have any objection to doing that.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
I had asked you for 20 minutes, and that's exactly what we're going to get.
Former Advisor, Canada Transportation Act Review Panel, As an Individual
I should have brought my sleeping bag.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
I have a feeling you will be back, Mr. Dee.
Mr. Iacono, do you have a question?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Mr. Dee, thank you very much. We appreciate the very valuable information you've shared with us today. We plan to spend a considerable amount of time going over the Emerson report in the fall, so no doubt you will be back, or at least observing the work of the committee.
Former Advisor, Canada Transportation Act Review Panel, As an Individual
Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
I will suspend long enough for Mr. Dee to leave the room.
I'm calling the meeting back to order.
Since we're going to deal with committee business, is it the choice of the committee to go in camera or do you want to deal with the committee business in open session?
Liberal
Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON
Madam Chair, I'd prefer to stay away from going in camera. It could just be an open session.
