Transport Committee on Feb. 17th, 2022

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you very much, Mr. Barsalou-Duval.

Mr. Bachrach, the floor is yours. You have two and a half minutes.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'd love to try to squeeze in two questions, so I'll be as brief as I possibly can.

The committee was copied on some correspondence to the minister regarding noise from general aviation taking place over the city of Montreal, especially tourist flights. This is something that my colleague Mr. Boulerice, the MP for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, hears about from residents all the time. Essentially, these tourist flights are flying over residential areas on their way to the Olympic Stadium or other landmarks. The noise from these airplanes is causing a major concern for residents of that area.

Is the department aware of this issue? If so, what is it doing about it?

[Aaron McCrorie]

There are requirements at aerodromes around Canada to manage noise in and around the aerodromes. Ideally, we'd prefer that the airport operators themselves manage it locally.

I'm not immediately familiar with this particular issue, but there are processes and procedures in place at each airport to properly manage these issues.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

One suggestion that's been made is that the classification of the airspace over Montreal is more relaxed than for other metropolitan areas, like Toronto and Vancouver, with more allowance for VFR aviation.

Do you know if this is the case?

[Aaron McCrorie]

Unfortunately, I do not know if this is the case. The creation of airspace is a complex issue. I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with it.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

My last question might finish up the committee's testimony for today. It has to do with interlined agreements for airlines. I met yesterday with Air North. You'll be familiar with Air North. It's an airline that provides service to many remote communities in Yukon. It has been struggling throughout the pandemic, and it's also up against these big air carriers that are vertically integrated and really tough to compete with.

Air North has come forward to the minister with this proposal for interline agreements that would provide passengers with an integrated ticket whereby the government would mandate the larger carriers to co-operate with these smaller carriers. We see that in the railway sector and the telecom sector. We see regulations that carve out space for smaller operators,especially ones that serve rural and remote communities.

Is this a policy issue, a policy proposal, that your department is aware of, and if so, what is your take on it? What is your response?

[Serge Bijimine]

We heard of it recently, and we're right in the middle of studying what this could be or not. We are in the early days. It's something we're studying, and we hope to be able to provide a recommendation to the minister and the government.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Chair, if I could ask very briefly, is there a timeline on getting back to companies like Air North?

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you, Mr. Bachrach, for those questions. Unfortunately, your time is up.

Ms. Lantsman, the floor is yours for five minutes.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

I want to continue and just follow-up. I understand that the travel policy is based on advice from PHAC. Do you think the government can do a better job at developing travel policy?

For example, I mentioned that most of those measures were ad hoc, and the government often rejected that advice. My understanding is that the travel advice was a level 2, and the government went with a level 3.

I want to know if there are any plans to depoliticize this and give industry the assurance it needs that this will be done, if it happens again, in a less ad hoc way?

[Arun Thangaraj]

All of our travel advice and all of our analysis, as we have said, is based on the scientific evidence and the data that we have before us. The measures that we have in place, whether they be for testing or travel advice, are based on the data that we have and on advice from public health officials.

With respect to border measures, Mr. McCrorie mentioned ensuring the smooth flow of individuals across the borders. It is based on discussions that we also have with bilateral partners. Everything we've done, in terms of our border posture and travel measures, has been based on the science and data we have before us.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

I understand that, but you went further than the experts had recommended. There are Canadians who have lost trust in advisories and are not adhering to them. Doctors are openly questioning almost all of those measures. We are well behind some of our allies in Europe, even with lifting the restrictions on PCR testing. Given that travel is critical to both our federal economy and our provincial economies, it's federally regulated.

Are any steps being taken to have a less politicized process about travel advice, because the advice that you were given did not match the travel advisories that Canada issued.

[Arun Thangaraj]

Our measures, as was announced yesterday, I believe—all the days are blending together—are based on advice and evidence that we have. Every successive change we have made, whether it be the one that was implemented in the fall as a response to omicron or the one from a couple of days ago that will accept the use of a rapid antigen test for fully vaccinated travellers, has been based on advice. Similar to the travel advice that Global Affairs provides in consultation with public health officials, it is given based on the data and evidence available when making recommendations.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

I want Canadians to know that sometimes the advice doesn't actually match the advisory. Your advice didn't match the advisory that came out.

I want to know if there's a timeline for removing all of the testing? We're seeing some of that in Europe. We're seeing signs of testing being removed from air travel in the U.S.

Is there a timeline from the department?

[Arun Thangaraj]

On an almost constant basis and in real time, we look at the current epidemiological situation domestically and what the appropriate measures are in Canada.

Again, as was announced yesterday, we adjust those border and travel measures based on that evidence. We do that with our colleagues at the Public Health Agency and other departments like Global Affairs, for example. We're mindful of the epidemiological situation, not only domestically but also internationally as we do that.

Based on that constant review and analysis, we make those adjustments and those adjustments are announced.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Do you consult with other countries? I'm trying to understand—and I think many have asked this question—why the science is so different in different countries, given that omicron is here.

I want to know why our measures seem more restrictive than in other countries.

[Arun Thangaraj]

I don't want to speak for my colleagues at the Public Health Agency of Canada, but as part of their analysis they do look at the epidemiological situation in other countries. There are consultations with provincial medical officers of health as well.

All of the measures that are put in place are based on full consultations with our colleagues at GAC and PHAC. They are very mindful, not only of the epidemiological situation but also of the measures that are in place internationally.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Thanks for your time.

I've been shown the red card, so thank you very much to everyone for preparing for this, given how busy you are.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you, Ms. Lantsman.

I'll echo her remarks. Thank you to all witnesses and department officials for being here and answering the questions of the committee today.

That concludes our meeting. Have a great evening, everyone.