Minister, shifting to a different topic, when your predecessor Mr. Garneau appeared before the committee over a year ago, he assured us several times that the Canadian Transportation Agency was an independent body that operated at arm's length from the government. Yet we just recently received redacted emails that show that on March 18, 2020, an email from Colin Stacey—this is one of your department officials—indicated that “Air Transat are telling us they're getting pressure from creditors who are pushing on the airlines for cash. They will request that we officially let them provide vouchers to passengers instead of providing them cash because they literally do not have enough cash to give refunds.” This is a department official essentially lobbying the CTA and doing the bidding of Canada's big airlines.
Then, on March 23—this is someone from your own office—the then transport minister's chief of staff took part in a call with the CTA and Transport Canada's deputy minister to discuss vouchers.
Section 39 of the CTA's code of conduct states that “Members shall not communicate with political actors or officials of other federal departments and agencies...regarding a matter that is, was, or could be before the Agency.” Just days later, the CTA released its statement on vouchers.
Did Transport Canada breach the code?