Evidence of meeting #131 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was passengers.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke
I'm going to confer with the clerk to ensure that's indeed the case.
There isn't unanimity on whether or not those were the documents she committed to providing, Ms. Koutrakis. There is a motion before us for unanimous consent to request those.
Do we have any objections?
(Motion agreed to)
Mr. Lawrence, the floor is yours.
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
Thank you very much.
Could you also comment on the action plans and protocols that were changed at Via Rail, or the expectations following the Cobourg incident? The minister talked about those protocols not being followed. Could you specify what protocols from the department were not followed, following the Cobourg incident?
Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
I'm going to turn to my colleague in one second.
Largely, these were with respect to communications with the department. They communicated our expectations for how they are to escalate this internally, within Via, when something like this happens.
Lisa.
Lisa Setlakwe Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety and Security, Department of Transport
The protocol requires them to communicate with us when they become aware of a delay that's going to be, I think, three hours or more.
That's what they did not do.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety and Security, Department of Transport
We have now strengthened that protocol requirement.
We think this was an isolated incident. There are delays that happen in other instances, and they have been very good at communicating with us.
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
For delays of three hours or more, they are to contact Transport Canada.
Is that right?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety and Security, Department of Transport
Yes. As soon as they become aware there is going to be.... Sometimes they know ahead of time that there will be a delay of three hours. As soon as they become aware that it's going to be three hours or more, they are to communicate with us.
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
Thank you very much. That's very useful.
As I started to do this in my first round and agreed to move it to my second round, I would love to get UC, at this point, to have the former minister of transportation, Pablo Rodriguez—of course, he is still a member of Parliament now—to come for an hour or more, per the Via schedule, in order to outline some of the communication that happened between his office, Transport Canada and Via.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke
Thank you very much, Mr. Lawrence.
We have a motion on the floor that was previously put forward by Mr. Lawrence. We'll be discussing it now.
Are there any questions, comments or thoughts on that?
Yes, Mr. Badawey.
Liberal
Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON
To clarify, the motion is for you, as chair, to invite the former minister to the committee.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke
Are there any other questions or comments?
If not, I'll go to a vote.
(Motion agreed to)
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
How much time do I have left, Mr. Chair?
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
Thank you.
There was a breach in the protocol that Via Rail is supposed to call you any time there's a three-hour delay or longer. They did not contact you.
When was the first time Transport Canada received notice of the delay in Quebec over Labour Day weekend?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety and Security, Department of Transport
I think it was around 6:30. The train had an initial mechanical issue—a broken air hose—at 11:20 on August 31. We received our first notification at 6:45 p.m.
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
I'm sorry. What time was the initial...?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety and Security, Department of Transport
It was 11:20 a.m.
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
It was seven hours or so—if I do my math correctly—until you received it. That's when you first became aware of it.
What was your response? They call in. “We have a delay.” I'm more interested in a go-forward basis. How do you then work with Via Rail to sort out the issues? What happens?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety and Security, Department of Transport
The protocol requires them to update us on an hourly basis once they first notify us. I can tell you that there was regular communication with them throughout.
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
Do you have the ability to, for example, marshal resources? We heard one of the reasons they didn't disembark passengers was that they thought it was unsafe to do so. Obviously, the federal government has a lot of resources. Are you able to work with local police or others to get people off?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety and Security, Department of Transport
As I understand it, they were on a bridge, so it would not have been—
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
I mean just in general. I'm more interested in a go-forward basis. They're stuck in the forest—