Evidence of meeting #51 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 chair.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Yazmine Laroche  Associate Deputy Minister, Office of Infrastructure of Canada
Marc Fortin  Assistant Deputy Minister, Program Operations, Office of Infrastructure of Canada
Michael Cautillo  President and Chief Executive Officer, Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority
Claude Lachance  Senior Director, Administration, Jacques-Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated
Michael Keenan  Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
Shawn Leamon  Vice-President of Finance, Marine Atlantic Inc.
Paul Griffin  Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Marine Atlantic Inc.
Andie Andreou  Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, Canadian Air Transport Security Authority
Mike Saunders  Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Air Transport Security Authority
Deloranda Munro  Director General, Financial Operations, Administrative Services and Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Department of Transport
Natalie Kinloch  Chief Financial and Operating Officer, The Federal Bridge Corporation Limited
Scott Streiner  Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Transportation Agency
Jean-François Poirier  Director, Financial Services and Asset Management, and Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Canadian Transportation Agency
Danielle Boisvert  Corporate Controller, VIA Rail Canada Inc.
Jacques Fauteux  Director, Government and Community Relations, VIA Rail Canada Inc.

11:35 a.m.

Liberal

Sean Fraser Liberal Central Nova, NS

Thank you, Madam Chair.

11:35 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro

I'm going to have to thank the witnesses.

Thank you very much for coming out this morning and providing us with the information. No doubt we will see you on April 13 when we have the minister back with us as well.

I'm going to suspend now. We'll go to the vote and will return following it.

11:35 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro

I'm sorry to everybody for the disruption, but there's always politics around.

We understood that we would have Minister Garneau for 30 minutes until 12:30 and that he then had a vital appointment and would not be able to stay any longer. So the suggestion, and I think we have agreement with the other two parties, is that we would thank the officials for being here. On his part, Minister Garneau has indicated that he would be here on April 13 for the full hour, which is what the committee desires.

Given that point, we will adjourn today's meeting with the officials, knowing that on April 13 in the first hour we would have Minister Sohi, the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and in the second hour we would have Minister Garneau with us.

I want to thank the officials for being here and apologize for the disruption.

Ms. Block, did you have a comment? Then Mr. Berthold.

11:35 a.m.

Conservative

Kelly Block Conservative Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK

I have one question. I appreciate that we are rearranging the schedule to have the minister here for an hour. Typically when we look at the mains or supplementary estimates, we would invite the minister for an hour and then the appropriate departmental officials for a second hour.

Is there a plan to follow up the meeting with both of the ministers? I know we've heard from folks in regard to infrastructure. Would there be a plan to invite some of these folks back subsequent to those meetings with the ministers?

11:35 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro

We had the folks from the Minister of Infrastructure here this morning. The original idea, which I believe was agreed between all parties, was that we would have the Minister of Infrastructure and his staff for the first hour and the Minister of Transport and his staff for the second hour. That's the plan that I believe we would move forward with.

Mr. Berthold.

11:35 a.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Chair, I would like us to suspend the meeting for a few minutes so that I can talk to you about this agreement. Certain things have been said about it. There are a lot of officials present. With your permission I would like us to take a few seconds to discuss this together.

12:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro

Mr. Berthold has asked if we could suspend for a few minutes. We will indeed.

12:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro

I am reconvening our meeting. You would think that we had eight hours for this meeting. I would that the officials please take their places.

We've had other discussions, and given the fact that we do not have the minister but do have the deputy minister, who can provide very precious information, we have decided that we to continue for another half an hour today and obtain as much information as we possibly can.

Mr. Badawey, I did have you on a list here for a question. Have your questions been answered?

12:25 p.m.

Liberal

Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON

You read my mind.

12:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro

Thank you very much.

Mr. Fraser, are you [Inaudible—Editor].

Thank you to the officials.

Mr. Keenan, do you have any opening remarks that you would like to say?

12:25 p.m.

Michael Keenan Deputy Minister, Department of Transport

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I would like to make a few comments to begin.

I'm in your hands, Madam Chair. Should we go around and introduce the officials at the table, or should we just launch into it and come in as we go?

12:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro

I think they can comment as they feel necessary.

12:30 p.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Transport

Michael Keenan

As necessary, great. Okay.

I'm happy to be here today with officials from the department, and the portfolio heads. Unfortunately, as you've already discussed, the minister is unable to be here due to the scheduling changes, but I'm happy to talk about the main estimates.

Please let me begin by saying a few words about the department's mandate. As Minister Garneau says frequently, both publicly and to his officials, the first priority of Transport Canada is the safety and security of Canadians across all modes of transport.

Since new risks are always emerging, protection of Canadian citizens requires constant vigilance and scrutiny on the part of departmental officials. Transport Canada also supports the government's mandate to grow the economy and support trade. A modern, efficient transportation system is key to achieving those goals.

Canada lives by trade. For our country to prosper we must be able to get products to markets around the world. To do that we need well-functioning ports, airlines, railways, and to ensure shippers are able to move goods smoothly through our trade corridors and gateways.

Of course, we must do this in a manner that provides the highest level of protection to the environment. Our 2017-18 main estimates lay out how the department plans to play our resources to advance this agenda. Transport Canada is not asking for any additional appropriations through supplementary estimates (C) for 2016-17. All the funding we need to deliver our mandate for the fiscal year ending had already been accessed in previous estimates.

In the main estimates for 2017-18, Transport Canada is seeking access to $1.3 billion to cover our planned expenditures, which include $596.6 million for operating expenditures, $138.5 million for capital expenditures, $336.7 million for grants and contributions, and $230.8 million in statutory authorities. This represents an increase of $36.9 million from the planned spending in last year's main estimates.

The increase is largely due to new funding required to enhance the safety of railways and the transportation of dangerous goods, and to do things like expand inspection capabilities, support training for more consistent oversight across the country, and improve systems for testing, classifying, registering, and mapping dangerous goods.

Additional funds will also support the ports asset transfer program. Some of the programs Transport Canada has administered over the past several years are winding down, such as the Asia-Pacific gateway and corridor initiative. As projects are completed, in some cases the actual costs are less than estimated, so you will see a decrease in the grants and contributions funding required.

We are working to develop new programming that will build on the success of the Asia-Pacific gateways program. Some of that was referred to in the budget tabled yesterday. I will defer to the minister, when he appears, to describe the budget priorities of the Government of Canada.

We would anticipate seeing those resources added to the reference levels of the department and many of the key crown corporations, whose representatives are sitting around the table, in the supplementary estimates for 2017-18.

Madam Chair, please allow me to close by saying Transport Canada is very committed to sound fiscal management and stewardship of government resources on behalf of Canadian taxpayers.

With that, I would say we are now happy to answer any questions you may have on the part of the department or on the part of the agencies in the transport portfolio. Thank you very much. Merci.

12:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro

Thank you, Mr. Keenan.

So that we will know specifically who we have at the table as officials, I would ask that you each introduce yourself, starting on my left. Please include your department.

12:30 p.m.

Shawn Leamon Vice-President of Finance, Marine Atlantic Inc.

I'm Shawn Leamon, the CFO of Marine Atlantic.

12:30 p.m.

Paul Griffin Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Marine Atlantic Inc.

Paul Griffin, president and CEO of Marine Atlantic.

12:35 p.m.

Andie Andreou Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, Canadian Air Transport Security Authority

Andie Andreou, vice-president and chief financial officer of CATSA.

12:35 p.m.

Mike Saunders Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Air Transport Security Authority

Mike Saunders, president and CEO of CATSA.

March 23rd, 2017 / 12:35 p.m.

Deloranda Munro Director General, Financial Operations, Administrative Services and Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Department of Transport

Deloranda Munro, deputy chief financial officer of Transport Canada.

12:35 p.m.

Natalie Kinloch Chief Financial and Operating Officer, The Federal Bridge Corporation Limited

I'm Natalie Kinloch, chief financial and operating officer of the Federal Bridge Corporation.

12:35 p.m.

Scott Streiner Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Transportation Agency

Scott Streiner, chair and CEO of the Canadian Transportation Agency.

12:35 p.m.

Jean-François Poirier Director, Financial Services and Asset Management, and Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Canadian Transportation Agency

Jean-François Poirier, chief financial officer with the Canadian Transportation Agency.

12:35 p.m.

Danielle Boisvert Corporate Controller, VIA Rail Canada Inc.

Danielle Boisvert, corporate controller at Via Rail.

12:35 p.m.

Jacques Fauteux Director, Government and Community Relations, VIA Rail Canada Inc.

I am Jacques Fauteux, Director, Government and Community Relations at Via Rail.

12:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro

Thank you very much.

You can see how important the people sitting at the end of the table are. They're all here to answer any questions the committee might have.

Ms. Block.