Evidence of meeting #9 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 bnsf.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Thank you very much, Mr. Percy. I'm going to have to cut you off.
We have five minutes left.
Mr. Hardie, Mr. Vance, and Mr. Sikand, three quick questions. I have only that time, and when it's up, it's up. Oh, I'm harsh.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC
Looking at the Transportation Safety Board stats from 2005 through 2014—and I think you both need to be congratulated—the number of incidents they report, the number of accidents, has trended downward in a very healthy way.
This is just a quick technical question. Is there a metric you use in terms of incidents per kilometre operated or hour of service that is standard in terms of being able to compare one operator with another?
5:25 p.m.
President, GO Transit
GO Transit doesn't have a metric like that. We don't do that. We're a little bit different from VIA in terms of the type of network we have. That's not a metric we choose, but that is not to say that we don't have incredible focus on the importance of safety.
5:25 p.m.
Chief, Transportation and Safety Office, VIA Rail Canada Inc.
Yes, we have metrics at VIA Rail, and we monitor them very closely. The metric is total incidents per million miles for main line incidents.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON
Quickly, gentlemen, I'm sure you were both involved in the creation of the Emerson report on the CTA and with the conclusions that came out of that. It speaks of an enhanced global economic presence, if, in fact, transportation were further integrated.
My question for both of you is this. As we move forward with the next steps with the CTA and the Emerson report, would it be your opinion that we, as Transport Canada, and transportation in general, as a further step of the CTA, should be moving towards a national transportation strategy?
5:25 p.m.
President, GO Transit
From my perspective, the Metrolinx perspective, any time you shed a more comprehensive light on transportation, it can only be a good thing. It's not our place to pre-judge the value of federal versus provincial. That's not my commentary, but we need to all take safety very seriously, and that would be one method. Therefore, I would support it.
5:25 p.m.
Chief, Transportation and Safety Office, VIA Rail Canada Inc.
Anything that would support connectivity in this country and take cars off the road we would certainly support.
A good example of that would be our dedicated high-frequency rail plan.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Gagan Sikand Liberal Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
With regard to the VIA derailment in Burlington, the train was going at excessive speed, and human error was the reason. I think it was a signalling problem.
Was fatigue also mentioned or addressed or recognized as a factor?
5:25 p.m.
Chief, Transportation and Safety Office, VIA Rail Canada Inc.
Fatigue was not recognized as a factor. It was a missed signal that the crew interpreted differently, or during the station stop they did not recall what the previous advance signal would have been, so they were not expecting to take a turn when they did.
There was no mention of fatigue or any other human factors at play, but three people were in the cab, and that was a question mark.
I'd like to clarify that we immediately implemented a procedure that whenever you do a station stop after an advance signal, you must remind each crew member of the last signal before departing that station, and the cab red zone has helped focus vigilance on the upcoming signals by the crews ever since.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
I have a quick question for VIA. You mentioned earlier that you had a new GPS system on board your trains.
What was the reaction of the union to this system, and have you received any grievances with respect to this implementation?
5:30 p.m.
Chief, Transportation and Safety Office, VIA Rail Canada Inc.
The union has participated with us from the conception of that project. They are thrilled about that project.
We have only tried it as a prototype in November between Montreal and Ottawa. They have even participated in the design of the screens. Our strong safety culture and relationship with the TCRC has proven once again that together we can manage safety far better than we can without their help.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Thank you very much to our presenters. We appreciate that information very much. I think it's very valuable to all of us on the committee.
To the committee members, we'll suspend for 30 seconds, and then we have committee business. Is it the wish of the committee to go in camera for the committee business?
I'm going to suspend for 30 seconds.
Okay, the meeting is called back to order.
5:30 p.m.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
We've received a notice that the new deputy ministers have been appointed for Transport and Infrastructure. I think it would be useful to all of us to have both of those deputies come. We could meet them and ask them some questions.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
It's a great idea. It's just a question of timing. If we can find even half an hour to slip them in, I think it would be nice to meet. We're talking about Wednesday's meeting. We have Transport Canada coming and who else? The Transportation Safety Board. So we're having two one-hour panels, but they are both filled.
Would you like us to stay an extra hour, or...?
5:30 p.m.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
I'm not saying immediately. I think these are important appointments, and I think it would be helpful for us to ask them about their background and their priorities and so forth.
5:30 p.m.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Before our next study commences after we have finished rail safety, I would suggest we slot them in, unless the budget gets thrown at us.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Exactly. And a few other things.
Can we discuss the Lac-Mégantic trip? I did go to the Liaison Committee last Thursday and received the wholehearted endorsement of everybody on the committee for the funds we require to make the trip. It was reported to the House, so the funds are there.
I'm going to ask the clerk if he would tell us now some of the things he has as far as transportation, and then Mr. Berthold will tell us a little more about the trip.
5:30 p.m.
The Clerk of the Committee Mr. Andrew Bartholomew Chaplin
The House agreed to a motion ordering the committee to travel on Friday, and it's expressed in terms of “the spring of 2016”.
I've roughed out an itinerary along the following lines. On Wednesday, April 20, there will again be food at the meeting, so that members are able to eat during or following the meeting. There will be a bus available for boarding at 6:30 pm. We would bus to Sherbrooke and arrive, in my estimation, around 10 p.m. We'd stay overnight in Sherbrooke, have breakfast there, and then depart at approximately 8:45 am for Lac-Mégantic in order to arrive at 10 a.m. There would be time for informal meetings or site visits. We'd have lunch in Lac-Mégantic. Then we should be ready for further informal meetings or departure formalities.
I'm hoping to get input and further information from Monsieur Berthold.
We have to figure out where we are going to meet up with you and where we are going to meet with the people of Lac-Mégantic when we arrive.
After departure formalities, we'd head to Montréal-Trudeau Airport, so that members intending to travel by air could disperse from there. The remainder of the party would head back to Ottawa, probably arriving in the evening.
5:35 p.m.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Do we have a better idea of the timing? I have to be in Edmonton to do something with the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities on Friday morning. There are not very many flights to Edmonton. I'm going to have to use special points because I'll probably have to fly from Montreal to Edmonton. I need to find out when the last flight is from Montreal to Edmonton.
5:35 p.m.
The Clerk
Perhaps if you could get us the information about when the available flights are that suit your itinerary, we could then shape the departure from Lac-Mégantic accordingly.