Mr. Chair, I take the opportunity to very much thank the hon. member for her good analysis and overview of what we are trying to do at Transport Canada with respect to marine safety. I would also note that next week is Safe Boating Week, and I think it is important that we remember safety in recreational boating too. People should wear their life jackets and make sure they have everything they need to have on board for recreational boating.
I had the opportunity, as the hon. member said, to take a flight with the national aerial surveillance program. This is a unique program. The United States does not have this program. We have invested in this program, and we will make sure we invest in it more so that they can actually increase the number of hours they are out there patrolling the skies and being our eyes in the skies.
Specifically, I was particularly pleased to note that two members of the crew were women, so they have a nice gender balance in this program. It was very nice to be able to take off with them and to have the ability to view the paths of the vessels in the Vancouver area and to see the equipment they have, the sensor ability they have, the technology they have, and the skills they have to see both ships that are in distress and any spills, even as little, as was mentioned, as a litre of oil, because having that quick response is incredibly important.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time. We did not, unfortunately, see anything there with respect to any potential spills, but I can vouch for the absolute professionalism and the abilities of the crew on board this plane.
One other thing the crew told me was that it is such an incredibly valued program that they were the ones who were called upon by the United States to go down to the gulf to help be the eyes in the skies for the movement of oil on water when they had the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the oil spill in that part of the world. I am very proud of the work they did there and the commendations they have received as a result. We are very happy to make sure we continue to fund this program and increase the funding in the program so they can deliver not only on the west coast but also in the Arctic, and of course, on the east coast of Canada as well.