Transport Committee on Nov. 25th, 2025

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

I call this meeting to order.

Welcome to meeting number 16 of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format pursuant to the Standing Orders. Pursuant to Standing Order 106(4), the committee is meeting to consider the request by members of the committee to continue the discussion on Driver Inc.

I'd like to make a few comments for the benefit of members.

First, please wait until I recognize you by name before speaking. For those of you participating by video conference, click on the microphone icon to activate your microphone, and please mute yourself when you are not speaking.

For those on Zoom, at the bottom of your screen you can select the appropriate channel for interpretation: floor, English or French. For those in the room, you can use the earpiece and select the desired channel. Remember that all comments should be addressed through the chair.

For members in the room, if you wish to speak, please raise your hand. For members on Zoom, please use the “raise hand” function. I don't think there's anybody joining us online today.

The clerk and I will manage the speaking order as best we can, and we appreciate your patience and understanding in this regard.

We begin debate today with Mr. Kelloway, followed by Mr. Lawrence and—

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Clarke, ON]

I have a point of order. I was first.

[Mike Kelloway, Liberal, Sydney—Glace Bay, NS]

No, you weren't.

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Clarke, ON]

I challenge the chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

I saw Mr. Kelloway's hand go up while I was speaking.

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Clarke, ON]

Yes, Mr. Chair. I was up first.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

I recognize Mr. Kelloway. If you'd like to challenge the chair, you can.

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Clarke, ON]

I have. I just did.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Okay.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Philip den Ouden]

Shall the decision of the chair be sustained?

(Ruling of the chair overturned: nays 5; yeas 4)

[Mike Kelloway, Liberal, Sydney—Glace Bay, NS]

That's incredible, guys. The hand was up before yours. That's incredible.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

We're going to Mr. Lawrence followed by Mr. Kelloway.

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Clarke, ON]

It's actually quite shocking to me that we're having this childish behaviour. Mr. Chair, could you please maintain order in here?

After cancelling two meetings because they don't want to hear from victims, now they're going to act as if they're victims. This is ridiculous and silly.

[Mike Kelloway, Liberal, Sydney—Glace Bay, NS]

Mr. Chair, I have a point of order. This is absolutely ridiculous. We want a study to go ahead for recommendations. This is absolutely incredible. It is terrible—shameful.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Colleagues, we're all going to have an opportunity to speak. Mr. Lawrence can begin the discussion.

The floor is yours, sir, followed by Mr. Kelloway.

Do we have any others who would like to be on the list?

Mr. Barsalou-Duval is third.

Mr. Lawrence, the floor is yours.

[Stéphane Lauzon, Liberal, Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC]

I was not, but now I want to be there.

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Clarke, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

As I said, it's really quite remarkable that, after not wanting to hear from victims of serious accidents, sometimes fatal ones, they're over there playing the victim because they didn't get the right to go first. It is really beyond the pale. His moral sanctity is only matched by his silliness on this issue.

I want to get a couple of things on the record.

First, Conservatives did not consent to the cancellation of the meetings that were otherwise scheduled. This is extremely disappointing and not the way Parliament should be conducted.

As well, I want to put on the record that Conservatives will not and do not consent to any type of adjourning of the meeting prior to the full usage of all resources available. Conservatives are absolutely committed to hearing about victims who have suffered fatalities or significant injuries and from their families. Conservatives care, unlike the Prime Minister, who clearly does not, as well as those members who do not want to hear—again, that's the only conclusion—from the victims of serious accidents.

With that, I will pass the floor to Mr. Xavier Barsalou-Duval.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

I have Mr. Kelloway and then I have Mr. Barsalou-Duval. I'm just going to be clear: They did have their hands up first.

Mr. Kelloway.

[Mike Kelloway, Liberal, Sydney—Glace Bay, NS]

Thank you for respecting my hand going up.

I don't use 50-cent words to describe people or tear people down. The member opposite talked about silliness and used a variety of other words that are absolutely, categorically false. In fact, the motion on the table would have the survivors here.

What we're seeing right now is an example of how the Conservative Party of Canada, which used to be conservative, is now cynical and conspiratorial; its members are blending things together to suit their narrative. How dare the member opposite say that we don't care about survivors? That doesn't wash with Canadians. That doesn't wash with people from coast to coast. We have a plan on the table that we think is a pretty good motion, but we played a game today.

My hand was clearly up, and we played a game. That is the seriousness you have put into this. We have a motion on the table. You could have respected that. You could have talked it out. You could have had a very good conversation about it, but right at this moment today, on this side of the table, we have a lot to say. I hope that, as we listen to you folks—and you care about survivors.... To come out and say that is just greasy. It is bush league. It is out of the handbook that you guys have to say, in your PowerPoint presentations on committee work, “Own the Liberals.”

That doesn't help anybody. What a shameful act we see today.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you, Mr. Kelloway.

We'll now move on to Mr. Barsalou-Duval.

The floor is yours.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'd like to begin by saying that I'm pleased to see you again. To tell you the truth, I'm quite pleased that the committee is meeting this week, because we haven't met since November 6, and today is November 25. That's quite a long time. I think many people around this table were disappointed that the Committee did not meet last week. That is why we were forced to request a meeting in accordance with Standing Order 106(4).

First and foremost, I would like to ask the chair if she can explain why the committee was not convened for meetings last week.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

That question is addressed to me.

First of all, two weeks ago was a break week for Parliament, so we were not in Ottawa.

As for last Tuesday, there was a confidence vote. There were rumours about possible political manoeuvring that could have influenced the confidence vote to be held in the House of Commons. Since I didn't want committee members to miss that vote, I didn't call a meeting for Tuesday.

As for Thursday, while talking to several committee members, I heard that there might be a solution to the problem of systematic filibustering or our discussions that are clearly not leading to solutions. So, I decided to let people talk privately, so as not to waste the House of Commons' money. Unfortunately, that didn't work.

I wanted to call a committee meeting today, but I received a request for a meeting under Standing Order 106(4). So here we are.

The goal is to move forward and let people discuss as planned, without wasting too much taxpayer money, hopefully, in order to find a solution that will allow us to hear from the witnesses we all want to invite here. That's really what this is about.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Under the circumstances, I move the following motion:

That the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities resume its business where it left off with the debate on November 6, 2025.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Very well.

Mr. Lauzon, you have the floor.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna, BC]

If we have a motion on deck, you should find that in order, and then I think you would take a speakers list from that point.