Evidence of meeting #61 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.
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
I will now move the supplementary estimates we have before us.
Pursuant to Standing Order 81(5)—
12:10 p.m.
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Madam Chair, I have a point of order.
You asked us whether we wanted to adjourn the debate and move right into committee business since it is past noon. You never said that you were going to put it to a vote. To my mind, that isn't the same thing at all.
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
I just asked whether we would deal with the supplementary estimates before we go into committee business.
Do we have the approval of the committee to deal with the supplementary estimates?
12:10 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Pursuant to Standing Order 81(5), the committee will now dispose of the supplementary estimates (A) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018: vote 1a under Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, votes 1a, 5a, and 20a under Department of Transport, vote 1a under Marine Atlantic Inc., and vote 1a under VIA Rail Canada Inc.
Do I have unanimous consent to deal with all votes in one motion?
12:10 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
All right.
CANADIAN AIR TRANSPORT SECURITY AUTHORITY
Vote 1a—Payments to the Authority for operating and capital expenditures..........$150,800,000
(Vote 1a agreed to on division)
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT
Vote 1a—Operating expenditures..........$40,968,956
Vote 5a—Capital expenditures..........$500,000
Vote 20a—Grants and contributions — Other..........$9,384,841
(Votes 1a, 5a, and 20a agreed to on division)
MARINE ATLANTIC INC.
Vote 1a—Payments to the corporation..........$134,920,000
(Vote 1a agreed to on division)
VIA RAIL CANADA INC.
Vote 1a—Payments to the Corporation..........$235,397,834
(Vote 1a agreed to on division)
Shall I report these votes to the House?
12:10 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
12:10 p.m.
An hon. member
On division.
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON
Madam Chair, would it be necessary to go in camera, or can we stay in open session?
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
It's the will of the committee. Are you suggesting that the committee not go in camera?
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
12:10 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
What we had on the schedule for the first half-hour was to do committee business, and for the second half-hour to do drafting instructions on the aviation study.
We are scheduled to have the Montreal airport for the first hour on Thursday, as you requested, Mr. Berthold.
May 30th, 2017 / 12:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
They will be here for the first hour on Thursday. Thank you very much. I'm really glad when we can work together.
Now we have 15 minutes left to talk about committee business: what we have outstanding that's coming to us or that we still have to deal with.
We have Mr. Bratina's motion on water quality, which we have to deal with before December 1. We have a draft report on infrastructure that our analysts have done, which we have not gone back to review. We can take action on it, or we can simply leave it there until the fall, depending on the will of the committee on those two issues.
Legislation-wise, at some point we're going to have Bill S-2, Bill C-48, and Bill C-49. That's the legislative agenda ahead of us, over and above all the other issues that we'd like to dealt with.
As we look forward to the committee business ahead of us, we should sort out how we're going to deal with some of it. Bill C-49 is a very important piece of legislation, given the fact that it affects the issue of the sunset clause in Bill C-30.
That's what's ahead of us. We need to sort out how we are going to get these issues dealt with in the couple of meetings we have left.
I'm going to open the floor.
Mr. Badawey, go ahead.
12:15 p.m.
Liberal
Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I understand, from our discussions, that the government House leader has indicated a willingness to deal with Bill C-49 based on some of the comments made, both by the committee and by the opposition in the House of Commons, with respect to bringing it to second reading and getting it to this committee before the summer adjournment.
If this happens, I would propose that our committee meet to study Bill C-49 prior to the House's returning in the fall so we can attempt to expedite this—again, based on some of the comments we've heard here in the testimony, as well as comments made specifically by the opposition in the House of Commons.
Madam Chair, this would provide us with an opportunity to hold extended meetings with the stakeholders and do a lot of work in a relatively short period of time to deal with the issue, as was articulated by members of the opposition in the House. There is a need to expedite this because of the sunset clause attached to Bill C-30.
As part of our work program moving into the fall, that's what I would propose, and I think it would go a long way toward speeding up the process and delivering results for our grain farmers and other captive shippers who are eagerly awaiting the passage of this bill. It would certainly provide them with the service levels they expect.
As members of the committee understand, Bill C-49 also includes a number of other important measures, notably a passenger rights regime for air travellers. Our studying this is long overdue, as well as hearing from those who are being impacted dramatically by it.
Madam Chair, I would throw that out there for discussion. Hopefully, we can get to this sooner rather than later because of the expediency it well deserves and needs.
12:15 p.m.
Conservative
Alain Rayes Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I'd like to give notice and read the following motion:
That the Committee reserve a minimum of another complete meeting on the subject of the Canada Infrastructure Bank and invite the former Chair of the Business Development Bank of Canada to appear on the subject.
Now I'd like us to discuss the motion, please.
12:15 p.m.
Conservative
Alain Rayes Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Yes, it's a new motion. It's not an old motion. I was told that I could no longer speak to it, so I am introducing a new one. I'm glad we're doing this with the microphones and cameras on, thanks to my colleague across the way.
12:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
That's fine. We're quite pleased to continue in public all the time.
You have given us notice of that motion. We can deal with it in 48 hours, unless there is unanimous consent to deal with that motion right now.
12:15 p.m.
Conservative
Alain Rayes Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Madam Chair, we are in committee right now. Unless I'm mistaken, we can deal with the motion immediately, without notice.
Madam Clerk can correct me if I'm wrong.