Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I don't quite know where to start. This meeting comes at a critical time for Canadians, especially those who travelled during the holidays, but also those who will travel during the next two break periods and those who will travel during future snowstorms. Indeed, we are in Canada, and it so happens that there are snowstorms in Canada.
The Liberals seem to be claiming that they convened the meeting before anyone else. Canadians want us to solve the problem, which is perfectly legitimate. This meeting was therefore convened in response to a request signed by opposition party members, which the notice of meeting clearly states. I invite Ms. Koutrakis to check it, since that is indeed the case. The committee met as quickly as it did because we didn't wait. We said that a meeting absolutely had to be held as quickly as possible, because people deserve answers.
Canadians had to wait in planes for 12 hours. Canadians were stranded on trains for 18 hours. Canadians tried to reach airline companies without ever getting an answer, not knowing when they would be able to come back home or what happened to their luggage. The situation was disastrous.
We thought we were reliving the airport crisis we went through when airports and airlines all over the world reopened their doors to Canadians. You'll remember that Canada was everyone's laughingstock, there were so many delays. I share the point of view of my colleague, Mrs. Vignola, on the subject: Canada is a G7 country. Its infrastructure should be able to accommodate travellers, but it earned a bad reputation, and that hasn't changed.
A major objective of calling this meeting, which the Liberals have forgotten, is an appearance by the Minister of Transport. He is the ultimate authority for air and rail transportation, and he must appear first to answer our questions. Why did he fail yet again to set up a system that works for Canadians? It's not very surprising if we come back to some of the minister's statements. I have one here that I want to bring to the attention of committee members. On May 11, 2022, the minister stated that travellers were out of practice after two years of pandemic, and some were causing slowdowns at security checkpoints. So, according to the minister, slowdowns were travellers' fault.
Since then, there's been many events and many tweets—they communicate a lot on Twitter at the Department of Transport—to state that such a situation is unacceptable. However, does anyone understand that the minister is the one responsible? If it is unacceptable, why did he do nothing? Why does this continue to happen? Does anyone understand that if he does nothing, if the minister doesn't answer all of our questions, this will continue to happen? Why say that it's unacceptable while doing nothing?
First and foremost, we must hear what the Minister of Transport has to say. He must come and explain the summit and meetings with airline companies. The minister represents Cabinet and the Prime Minister in discussions with airlines. Why, with all the power and ability to act at the minister's disposal, did Canada go through yet another crisis like the one we experienced over the holidays?
That is why it is important to hear the minister's point of view and take the time to talk with him. I think that a one-hour meeting with him is not enough. Canadians who waited for 12 hours or 18 hours deserve at the very least for the Minister of Transport to answer questions from all parties.
The Liberals also have travellers in their ridings who were stranded at airports for hours at a time. Members of the NDP or the Bloc Québécois also have questions that need answers. It's not about political stripes, it's about travellers. Unfortunately, travellers from all over the country were caught up in this storm, which wasn't caused by weather, but by chaotic administration of our system.
The Minister of Transport has his role. He must intervene, he must do what he does. He must take steps to handle the situation.
That is why, Mr. Chair, it's important to hear from the minister first, for him to come and explain which steps were taken, which airlines were called, when they were called and, above all, what real action was taken before Canadians waited for hours and hours in trains, or in planes, or on the ground in airports all over the country.
For these reasons, it is important for us to have this meeting. Like my colleagues, Mrs. Vignola, Mr. Strahl and Mr. Bachrach, I definitely want answers from the minister. We must take the time to do things right, because it's time to resolve the situation once and for all. Suffice it to say it's unacceptable to do nothing. Canadians deserve better, that's true, but they also deserve better from their government.