Mr. Speaker, yesterday in a response to my question about air marshals, the Minister of Transport told the House “We are committed to providing enhanced security on the ground so we will not need air marshals”.
Last night a news story on television informed Canadians that from May 2000 to May 2001 infiltration tests conducted by Transport Canada at major airports showed that one in five attempts to smuggle weapons past airport security were successful.
If Transport Canada's own tests confirm that there is a one in five chance of getting a weapon on a plane, why is the minister dismissing the idea of air marshals without even studying it?