Evidence of meeting #86 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 c-33.
A video is available from Parliament.
8:20 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Hope, BC
Yes. They're appointed by your government and elected by their other board members.
8:20 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Hope, BC
That's how it supposed to work. That's how it has worked, and you haven't been able to point—
8:20 p.m.
Conservative
8:20 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Hope, BC
Why does the minister know better than the board members you appointed?
8:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke
Mr. Strahl, as long as there was a question there....
Go ahead, Minister.
8:20 p.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Mr. Strahl, you should be a bit more respectful and allow me to answer.
In Quebec, for example, 100% of the boards are chosen by the Government of Quebec. Is that the best idea? Not necessarily, but those people act in the interest of the government and in the interest of the port and the communities. That's what we need the port authorities, the chair and the board to do.
8:20 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Hope, BC
Right. There's no problem, but you've decided you need more influence over port boards. I get it.
8:20 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Hope, BC
On the issue of anchorages, unless the issue of loading grain in the rain is managed—there are 170 days of rain at the port of Vancouver, so there are 170 days when they can't load grain—this will continue to back up at anchorages, no matter how many people want to wish it away or how much you say we can make things better for the whales because of active vessel traffic management, which is already under way at the port of Vancouver.
How can you propose to reduce anchorage time when we can't even load grain in the rain at the port of Vancouver for 170 days a year?
8:20 p.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
By better managing the traffic, Mr. Strahl. By making sure that ships arrive on time, that ships arrive at specific times, that the trains are there, that there's better communication and that data is shared.
8:20 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Hope, BC
It's fine if the trains are there, but if they can't unload.... If you can't load grain onto a vessel, the vessel will remain there or at anchorage, and it will cause backups.
What are we doing, and what is the government doing to ensure that grain can be loaded in the rain in Vancouver?
8:20 p.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
The grain in the rain is an infrastructure challenge. It's not something that's in the bill. It's going to be solved—
8:20 p.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
—through investment decisions and infrastructure decisions.
It's up to my colleagues and to you guys to discuss all of that, but this bill brings concrete solutions or means to the ports to make sure that they can better manage traffic, diminish the impact of anchorage and waiting times, and the impact on the environment. It gives them the concrete tools to do that, so it's having a positive impact on the supply chain.
8:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke
Thank you very much, Mr. Strahl.
Thank you, Minister.
Finally, for this round, we have Mr. Badawey.
The floor is yours. You have five minutes, sir.
8:20 p.m.
Liberal
Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm going to try to be a lot more productive after the hour that we've just heard.
Mr. Minister, thank you for being here, first of all.
I'm looking at Bill C‑33. As I mentioned to a lot of the witnesses....
By the way, a lot of the witnesses support a lot of the bill. I'm not going to buy the fact that no one supported it. A lot of them gave support to many parts of the bill. At the same time, they were giving opinions on other parts they thought could be changed.
We've noticed and recognized throughout the years in the ports modernization review, the rail safety review and the supply chain task force report... I'll even throw in the St. Lawrence Seaway review, because I consider that somewhat of a port, in terms of its trade corridor. We're working on Bill C‑33 and we have Bill C‑52 coming up. As you said, Mr. Minister, it's to update and modernize.
The whole concept behind reports coming to the committee.... I value the committee a lot. I've been on this committee since 2015. I've worked with and learned a lot from the partners we're dealing with today. With that said, and upon listening and learning.... Here's a bill that gives opportunity for the door to be wide open for people to walk in, to take all of those reports—bills included—and create the first part of a transportation strategy, integrating transportation logistics not just in Canada but also binationally. We heard from CP Rail-CP Kansas City the other day.
My question for you is this: As we move forward.... We heard a lot of the comments made tonight. We heard, more importantly, the comments from the partners. Do you feel this is just the start of the conversation?
In fact, in listening to those partners and witnesses, we expect this committee to simply do its damn job and come back with amendments, instead of bitching about everything they think they heard. We come back with amendments and present them to you and your team. Of course, with that, if there's an expectation of what this bill is going to be and accomplish, that will be done through the work of the witnesses, the testimony received and committee amendments. Then it's back to you. Of course, with that said, it's a bill that can hopefully make most or all more productive in the jobs they're doing within their port authorities, the rail sector and other...that this bill is attached to.
8:25 p.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Absolutely. You're right on.
I also want to thank you, Mr. Badawey, for all your work. I remember sitting with you on this committee in 2015. I was parliamentary secretary to the minister of infrastructure, so you've been here for a while. You know your stuff. I want to thank you for that, and also for the work you are doing as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport.
Yes, this is an important start. There are many things in there. There is other stuff, as you said. Regarding Bill C‑52, this bill or any bill, if the committee has suggestions for amendments or recommendations, of course I'll be ready to listen to that. However, you need to have a positive approach and not just come here to criticize the bill. I mean, I have a lot of respect for my colleagues and friends in the Conservative Party, but the only thing they have been doing is criticizing you guys. They could bring some suggestions. If they're good, of course we're going to listen to them, because it's in the interest of all Canadians. It's not only in the interest of ports and the whole supply chain. More importantly, it's in the interest of our fellow citizens.
8:25 p.m.
Conservative
8:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke
Yes, go ahead on a point of order.
I'll stop your time, Mr. Badawey.
Go ahead, Mr. Strahl.