Transport Committee on Aug. 19th, 2022

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga Centre, ON]

—collaboratively with our ministers, who have been working collaboratively with stakeholders. I have met with stakeholders. I've met with experts in tourism—

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

You have 10 more seconds, please, Minister.

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga Centre, ON]

—and we will continue to do everything we can to ensure—

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Why does it take you months to respond to your own government agency that reports to you?

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga Centre, ON]

—safe and efficient travel.

It's unfortunate the Conservatives have never taken COVID seriously. It's unfortunate the Conservatives supported these illegal blockades that blocked our borders and had a massive impact on border communities, and have not apologized for it to this day.

We, on the other hand, are focused—

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Minister, they're going to hold a parade in Buffalo for you. Their chamber of commerce is going to hold a parade for you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you, Mr. Baldinelli.

Thank you, Minister.

The last five minutes of the first hour will go to Mr. Badawey.

Mr. Badawey, the floor is yours.

[Vance Badawey, Liberal, Niagara Centre, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

It's an interesting meeting.

Minister, thank you, first of all, for being here today. It's good that you're trying to implement the business of good government versus the business of good politics, as we're seeing on the other side of the floor.

With that said, Minister, I know you have limited time left, but I do want to ask you one question with respect to flight delays. We are seeing similar flight delays, as mentioned earlier by a colleague, as well as cancellations occurring all over the world as well as here in Canada. Is it reasonable to say that these all have what we call knock-on effects on other countries? If so, what efforts, if any, are being made at the international level to better coordinate schedules to manage these very effects?

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga Centre, ON]

Indeed, the industry is highly integrated. As you stated, we are seeing similar phenomena around the world. When one corner of the world is experiencing congestion, other connected areas feel the impact. We also know that other airports are feeling similar challenges of labour shortages as we are recovering from COVID, and similar congestions.

To answer your point, yes, there are opportunities for us to work with international partners. By the way, Canada is the host of ICAO, the International Civil Aviation Organization, where there will be a meeting happening this fall, hosted in Montreal. We are all proud of the work that we're doing in hosting such a body. This would be one opportunity for us to work together with our international partners on learning together, sharing best practices, learning lessons, and working together on how we can improve the standards that the industry has around the world.

[Vance Badawey, Liberal, Niagara Centre, ON]

Thank you, Minister.

I want to attach my next question to some of the comments from Mr. Baldinelli, which are somewhat radical in nature, but I do want to be very specific and more in tune with what the reality of what's happening here in Niagara actually is, in particular as it relates to the efforts that you and Minister Mendicino, as well as Minister Boissonnault, have made in the last few months in meeting with stakeholders here in Niagara to hear first the facts—not the rhetoric or the perception by some members of Parliament, but the facts.

To that, can you tell us what you've heard, for example, from Ron Rienas, the general manager of the Peace Bridge authority, from Tim Clutterbuck, the chair of the board of the Peace Bridge authority, as well as other stakeholders throughout Niagara Falls, Niagara Centre—my riding—as well as West Niagara and into St. Catharines? What have you heard and what are some of the efforts that you and other members of cabinet are making on behalf of those who express their concerns to you?

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga Centre, ON]

Mr. Badawey, let me say that I read the emails that you send me on a regular basis. That provides me the information coming from the bridge on traffic and performance. It's great that we're seeing traffic continue to improve and increases in traffic at our border crossings, including the Peace Bridge and other international borders.

Second, I know that the community has been flagging the concern that they have. There are still some issues of awareness of ArriveCAN for many land border travellers, which are different than for air travellers. I have been taking that input, examining it on a regular basis, and working with our colleagues on making sure that we figure out what else can be done to improve the efficiency and the fluidity of these land border crossings.

I'm grateful for your work. I'm grateful to those who are on the front line. I recognize that there are some questions, and we continue to be more than willing to work with you and others on responding to these questions and figuring out what else we can do to improve the travellers' experience.

[Vance Badawey, Liberal, Niagara Centre, ON]

Thank you, Minister, and thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you very much, Mr. Badawey.

That concludes the first hour of questioning.

Minister, on behalf of all members, I want to thank you once again for your appearance, particularly given what you're battling right now. We wish you the best of health in the days and weeks ahead.

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga Centre, ON]

Thanks, everyone.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Colleagues, if it's okay with you, we will move directly to questioning, seeing as there are no opening remarks.

We will begin the second hour of questioning with Mr. Barrett.

Mr. Barrett, the floor is yours. You have six minutes.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Thanks very much, Chair.

Thanks to the officials for being here today.

Has ArriveCAN caused delays?

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Mr. Keenan, I think you're trying to speak, if I'm not mistaken, but we can't hear you.

[Aaron McCrorie, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety and Security, Department of Transport]

Apologies, Mr. Chair. Deputy Keenan's mike isn't working.

He was going to suggest that perhaps Denis Vinette from the Canada Border Services Agency could take this question.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Mr. Vinette, the floor is yours.

[Michael Keenan, Deputy Minister, Department of Transport]

Can you hear me?

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Yes. We can now.

[Michael Keenan]

Okay. Thanks. I made a small technical adjustment to my computer.

Mr. Chair, I would still stand with the suggestion that Denis Vinette from CBSA answer this question.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you.

Go ahead, Mr. Vinette.

[Denis Vinette, Vice-President, Travellers Branch, Canada Border Services Agency]

Thank you for the question.

Mr. Chair, the ArriveCAN app is actually the vehicle for the provision of the medical information and public health information mandated through the order in council as issued by the Public Health Agency of Canada. Without the use of ArriveCAN, for which we receive the information 99.5% of the time in advance in air and in marine, and just over 90% in land, that information would need to be collected either by paper submission or orally for capture and input by a CBSA officer.

Without ArriveCAN, it would take a far greater time to process individuals than it currently takes. You can recall a period of time back in March and April 2020 when this was being captured on paper and we had significant delays at Canadian airports and land borders. It's been a very efficient tool to allow for the capture of that public health information.

Thank you.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Thanks for the response. I think that's a contrast from the experience that folks have. That's a contrast with what I'm hearing from frontline officers with CBSA in my community. That's a contrast with what we're hearing from our international partners, that this has dramatically increased wait times at the border for a supposed public health measure that is not keeping Canadians safe. If the purpose is simply to verify vaccination, and we're matching that of our American partners, they don't ask for a demonstration of proof. They simply ask the question.

I'm wondering if the officials would be prepared to table documents related to the continued use of ArriveCAN. I referenced in my questions to the minister the justification that was requested in the summer of 2021. I'm wondering if they could agree to table with the committee the justification for its continued use.