Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House to begin the second reading debate on Bill C-58.
In September 1997, following the train derailment near Biggar, Saskatchewan, the Minister of Transport ensured that a number of immediate safety actions were taken by the railway. Subsequently, the department ensured that a Transportation Safety Board interim recommendation on the derailment was addressed so that travelling Canadians could benefit from the recommended safety enhancements.
Shortly after the derailment the minister announced that he was delaying the reintroduction in the House of Commons of the amendments to the Railway Safety Act. He directed departmental officials to examine other possible improvements to the legislation as well to see whether we could improve the mechanisms for overseeing safety and regulatory compliance.
A rail safety review committee was immediately established and was composed of railway safety, risk management and regulatory experts. The committee was also asked to consult with the rail industry and other stakeholders and to recommend ways to further improve rail safety.
Departmental officials reported back to the minister last January and in March the minister announced that he had accepted the department's rail safety review committee's recommendations. At the same time, he made public the committee's report.
At that time the minister asked his officials to proceed quickly with the committee recommendations that did not require changes to the legislative framework, such as improvements to rail safety practices and rules. This work began in the spring of 1998.
Today I am pleased to inform the House that the legislative changes imposed in this bill include a number of new provisions recommended by the review committee which will further enhance safety in Canada's rail industry.
These new amendments to the Railway Safety Act were prepared in extensive consultation with the railway industry, railway unions, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Canadian Safety Council, Transport 2000 and provincial officials.
Consultations were held as late as October of this year to provide stakeholders with an opportunity to reach a consensus on the intent of the proposed amendments in Bill C-58.
These proposed changes are fully modernized and reflect good practices used in safety regimes for other modes of transportation, changes such as: a new policy clarifying the objective of the act as well as the roles and responsibilities of all parties relative to railway safety; authority to require railways to implement safety management systems; authority to require railways to report safety-critical information for the purpose of railway system safety performance monitoring; a new safety compliance order targeted at safety management system deficiencies; increased authority for rail safety inspectors; and an improved consultative process.
The legislative framework will allow the department to require railways under federal jurisdiction to adopt formal safety management systems. The department would have full authority under the legislation to ensure that railways comply with this requirement and to take effective action as required to ensure full compliance.
This will also respond to earlier recommendations of the Transportation Safety Board with respect to more effective means of auditing railway safety.
The inclusion of the safety management systems is expected to improve railway safety by promoting a safety culture within the railroads, enabling railways to demonstrate their commitment to safety and demonstrating that railways are in compliance with regulatory requirements.
In the consultations with stakeholders it was evident that the majority of them wished to have a consultative committee on matters of safety. I am pleased to say, as the minister previously announced in March 1998, that the department is committed to the establishment of a permanent consultative committee of departmental officials and rail safety stakeholders.
The objective of this committee, which will be comprised of all interested parties, is to ensure that decision making on issues of railway safety includes effective consultation. This would involve an active two-way communication to develop a better understanding of issues and solutions. This committee will complement the improved consultative requirements contained in this bill.
It is anticipated that the first meeting will be held early in the new year.
Every year many Canadians lose their lives at crossings or while trespassing on railway property. This is the most significant problem facing rail safety and a major effort has been undertaken to respond to it. The Department of Transport has a program and a number of initiatives in place, and this act also contains provisions to further improve safety at crossings.
The department's program in this regard is covered by the following four Es: elimination, engineering, enforcement and education.
The first E stands for elimination. The objective is to eliminate unnecessary and unsafe crossings so that road users will be using, wherever possible, those with automated warning systems or better physical characteristics.
One amendment for crossings would allow the minister to make a grant as compensation for closures. Another would allow him to control the opening of new crossings on high speed lines.
The second E stands for engineering. As part of the Transport Canada crossing monitoring program, the new bill will provide for safety reviews at crossings in certain circumstances such as serious accidents.
The third E stands for enforcement. The railway safety inspector's overall monitoring for compliance can result in a variety of safety actions being taken for identified deficiencies.
Finally, the fourth E stands for education. Education is vital if we are to obtain the full benefits from the other three Es. For example, the Department of Transport is a full partner in operation lifesaver which educates Canadians on safety issues.
The proposed changes will also support a national program called direction 2006 which aims to reduce by 50% the number of highway/railway grade crossing collisions and trespassing incidents on railway property by that year. This program has the ongoing support of all stakeholders.
The government faces a huge challenge to reduce greenhouse gases and improve the environment. The proposed bill includes an authority to make regulations restricting emissions from the operation of railroad equipment. There is at present no such authority federally and the proposed Canadian Environment Protection Act excludes railway equipment. This proposed power will allow for a cleaner environment and will help Canada meet worldwide quotas for emissions.
The proposed legislative changes will enhance the ability of the railway safety system to give reasonable assurance of the continuing state of railway safety in Canada and to contribute to sustainable transportation.
To conclude, Transport Canada's first priority is and always will be the safety of the transportation system in Canada. I believe these amendments to the Railway Safety Act will strengthen the regulatory framework that governs safety in this critical mode of transportation. I believe they will provide the department with the means to ensure that Canada's railways will continue to improve their safety performance as we head into the 21st century.