Thank you, Madam Chair.
My thanks to all the guests for joining us this evening.
Many aspects of Bill C-49 bother me, some of which deal with the air component.
My first question is for the Air Canada officials, not as a way to single out the company, but because the example I have in mind directly concerns them.
A few years ago, a joint venture agreement between Delta and Air Canada was being negotiated, if memory serves, and it was blocked by the Commissioner of Competition. The Commissioner of Competition ensures the safety of consumers and travellers. If the commissioner says that this agreement is not in their best interests, I'm fine with that.
In Bill C-49, the role of the Commissioner of Competition becomes advisory and the minister may decide to override his recommendations for reasons he deems valid. Does this mean that it would be possible to establish joint venture agreements—to which I'm not fundamentally opposed—that the minister deems valid, but the Commissioner of Competition does not?