Evidence of meeting #75 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 clause.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Fraser Liberal Central Nova, NS
On this issue, there might be a difference in our interpretation of facts, given what Ms. Benjamin laid out just a moment ago.
I think we could get to these figures you have just raised, but the violations are on a per vehicle, per day basis, so currently it's entirely possible for a maximum sentence to far exceed $2 million or even $100 million. Is that accurate?
4:55 p.m.
Director General, Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation, Department of Transport
The intent, as we noted, is that it's per vehicle per day. Depending on the type of infraction, it would be one or the other. If they failed to issue a notice, it would be on a per vehicle, per day basis, so yes, it could get quite high, depending on what we put in the regulation.
4:55 p.m.
Director General, Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation, Department of Transport
No.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Fraser Liberal Central Nova, NS
Is it not mutually exclusive to the possibility of other prosecution, such as criminal prosecution, for example, in a truly egregious case?
4:55 p.m.
Director General, Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation, Department of Transport
I will turn to Alain.
4:55 p.m.
General Counsel and Deputy Executive Director, Department of Transport
My understanding of the amendments proposed is that this is to increase the criminal prosecution fines, not the administrative monetary fines. This would be the prosecution amount.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
I will call the vote.
(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])
(Clauses 16 and 17 agreed to)
Next is proposed new clause 17.1, amendment NDP-15.
Go ahead, Mr. Aubin.
4:55 p.m.
NDP
Robert Aubin NDP Trois-Rivières, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
When we drafted this amendment, it seemed reasonable to us. I would add that today, given the number of amendments that have been rejected, it seems even more important to me, since the obligation to publish within a prescribed period of time has been systematically refused. We now know now that “as soon as possible”, or any other vague wording, can mean the next morning, or two years later. It would seem important to us that the minister at least report to Parliament as to the use of the new powers given to him by Bill S-2. That is why we propose that:
21 (1) No later than December 31 next following the end of each fiscal year, the minister shall prepare a report on the administration and enforcement of the provisions of this act during the previous fiscal year and cause it to be tabled before each House of Parliament.
In this way there would at least be a secure record where on a yearly basis all of the decisions would be made public and each member could apprise himself of them and decide to convey the information to his riding in anyway he or she deemed appropriate.
Subclause 21(2) describes what this annual report should contain. I don't want to read each amendment again. You have had time to read them. It seems to me, now that the obligatory publication of a report at a set time has been rejected, that the annual report should be the minimum we could expect.
5 p.m.
Director General, Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation, Department of Transport
With respect to the defect and recall program that this measure is addressing, we already post a fair amount of information and we do try to keep everything public right now.
5 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Thank you.
(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])
(Clauses 18 and 19 agreed to)
Shall the short title carry?
5 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
5 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
5 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
5 p.m.
Liberal
5 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
5 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
I refer everybody back to the committee business section. We have a report on a committee business proposal that the subcommittee is recommending.
I had the clerk send the committee agenda of the subcommittee to everyone electronically, which is not normally the process, just so that you would have a chance to review it prior to its being adopted here at committee.
To our witnesses, thank you very much for your help, and of course thank you to our great clerical help here. We have to do a bit of committee business, but you are free to exit quietly if you like.
You have Report No. 2, which was sent to you electronically. It is from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.
Has everyone looked at it? Are there any comments? If not, can someone move adoption of the subcommittee report?
5 p.m.
An hon. member
So moved.
5 p.m.
Liberal
5 p.m.
NDP
Robert Aubin NDP Trois-Rivières, QC
Yes.
I certainly don't want to rush you, if you have other points to discuss or present, but I would like you to keep one or two minutes for me before you adjourn the meeting so that I can submit a motion I would like us to vote on.