Evidence of meeting #69 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 c-49.
A video is available from Parliament.
Executive Vice-President, Corporate and Legal Affairs, Ocean
Do you mean staff of Transport Canada or...?
Conservative
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
They're your words, not mine. You said the existing staff—
Chief Executive Officer, Fraser River Pile & Dredge (GP) Inc.
Our issue is with the government staff.
Conservative
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
I'm just taking the words you said. I'm trying to clarify it. You said the existing rules and regulations there the existing staff can enforce, suggesting that they weren't.
Chief Executive Officer, Fraser River Pile & Dredge (GP) Inc.
We know of cases where they have not been. In fact, the SIU went through a case a few years ago where they were not being.... And we know that Transport Canada, as well as the other agencies, have struggled with resources to be able to enforce them, and also struggled with the coordination mechanism to make sure that vessel and that owner are complying with all of the regulations.
September 13th, 2017 / 4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Chief Executive Officer, Fraser River Pile & Dredge (GP) Inc.
Okay, sorry, yes. I apologize, and on your example of the Hebron project we understand that one of the European dredgers came in, did the work in a month or so, with a full foreign crew, even though they had a coasting trade licence.
Conservative
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
And nobody knows that we're here.
So again, you believe that all the rules and regulations are there. There is existing staff. They just need to do it.
Chief Executive Officer, Fraser River Pile & Dredge (GP) Inc.
We don't believe there is enough staff.
Chief Executive Officer, Fraser River Pile & Dredge (GP) Inc.
Sorry. We're not here today asking for money. There have been other groups under CETA that have asked for money for their industries. We're not asking for that. We think the money is much better spent within the agencies of the government to reinforce the ability to enforce those requirements.
Chief Executive Officer, Fraser River Pile & Dredge (GP) Inc.
We think it's understaffed right now.
Thank you.
Conservative
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
Thank you for clarifying that. I appreciate that.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Liberal
Gagan Sikand Liberal Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Kelly asked earlier if you had been consulted. Now you're obviously here, but I heard a few mixed responses. You said this morning that you were speaking to Transport Canada, and I saw Martin saying no. So could we just go through the panel.
Have you been consulted for these amendments?
President, Seafarers' International Union of Canada
I am going to try to give you an answer without giving you an answer.
I've had many meetings. Everyone of course knows my concerns when it comes to cabotage, and Bill C-30, and CETA, and Bill C-49, and China and whoever the hell else we have on the list, but when it comes to consultation, this is part of the consultation process.
Liberal
Gagan Sikand Liberal Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
Can I get a yes and no because I have to split my time with my colleague.
Executive Vice-President, Corporate and Legal Affairs, Ocean
Before they signed the agreement, we were not consulted at all, but for the implementation we asked several times for meetings. We got information meetings.
