Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today and speak as the member of Parliament for London West.
I want to take a few moments before I address this important subject to thank the people of London West for putting their faith in me and the new Liberal government to bring about the changes needed, moving forward. The team of volunteers who supported me throughout the nomination and election campaign were superb, and I count many of them now as my friends.
I also want to thank my family for believing in me and encouraging me to follow my dream and help make Canada the best that it can be. To my children, Lauren and Billy and my partner Brian, words cannot express how their love has energized me to continue fighting for what is right. I will do everything in my power to provide my twin grandsons, Harrison and Francis, with the greatest country in the world. We are blessed to be born in Canada, but as our Prime Minister has said, we can always do better.
London West has two rail lines running through it, making the safe transportation of dangerous goods all the more important to my constituents. I want to take a few minutes now to address how the transportation of dangerous goods program can support jobs and economic security.
The government has promised Canadians that we will bring real change in both what we do and how we do it. Canadians sent a clear message in this election, and our platform offered a new ambitious plan for a strong and growing middle class and a revitalized economy.
The government is working on the delivery of a newly focused building Canada fund that will make greater investments in Canada's roads, bridges, transportation corridors, ports, and border gateways, helping Canada's manufacturers get their goods to market, and supporting jobs and growth in this country.
We will also focus on areas to enhance rail safety in the transportation of dangerous goods. Keeping goods and services moving supports jobs and growth in our community. We need to do this by maintaining the highest standards of safety and security. Protecting public safety is essential for ensuring continued access to markets. That helps to preserve Canadian jobs and grow the economy. Dangerous goods remain an essential part of our modern-day life and our economy. It is a $50-billion industry that needs a harmonized safety plan to gain access to world markets. Getting crude oil to international markets and Canadian refineries remains an important part of our economy that provides Canadian jobs. We will remain vigilant and make sure crude oil moves through our communities safely.
The government is listening to all Canadians as it begins to take further action to enhance rail safety and the transportation of dangerous goods. The foundation of any safety program is its act, regulations, and standards. The Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, 1992 is the best regulatory framework to enable the safe transport of crude oil to domestic and international markets, efficiently, effectively, and safely. The act provides the federal government with the authority to develop policy, verify compliance, conduct research to enhance safety, guide emergency response, as well as to develop regulations and standards to manage risk and promote public safety. It does all this while mitigating the consequences of an incident during the transportation of dangerous goods.
Transport Canada's dangerous goods program is based on solid foundation. Properly classifying a dangerous good and ensuring that the dangerous good is transported in the required means of containment are essential elements for safe transport. Other important safety elements for protecting public safety include emergency response assistance plans to assist municipalities and aboriginal communities in the event of an incident, proper documentation, safety marks, incident reporting, and training.
Transport Canada also leads the development of dangerous goods regulations for Canada. The transportation of dangerous goods regulations adopted by all provinces and territories established the regulatory requirements for all modes of transport including rail, road, marine, and air within Canada. There is no question that it is the government's responsibility to protect the safety of Canadians who travel on the rails, live near railway tracks, and operate the railway.
Since the tragic incident in Lac-Mégantic, Transport Canada has taken many actions to enhance public safety. However, our work is not completed. In the coming days, weeks, and months, we will be working with Transport Canada officials to further enhance public safety. We will ensure that jurisdictions have access to proper dangerous goods information, that our regulations and standards are up to date and appropriate to reflect the changing needs of our economy, and that we have the appropriate support for first responders following any incident involving dangerous goods.
There are approximately 30 million dangerous goods shipments annually in Canada. While most make it to their destination without any incident, we must continue our efforts to enhance safety for all Canadians.
The previous government's approach resulted in a budget reduction of 20% for rail safety over the last five years. This was unacceptable and put Canadian communities at risk. We have to ensure that our transport routes are the safest they can be. We will make sure that municipalities have the support and necessary resources to deal with crises should they occur.
Finally, our government will continue to work with all stakeholders through Transport Canada, from municipalities to provincial governments, industry, international governments, and agencies, to ensure we have the most appropriate and effective safety regime available to protect Canadians. We must protect and grow our economy but we must do it in a way that protects our citizens. That is why this government will seek to develop and listen for potential solutions to further enhance the safe transport of crude oil. Together, we can build a prosperous and safe Canada. Together, our regulatory safety regimes can support the efficient and safe movement of dangerous goods across this country. This will help support important economic activities in this country, including the oil and gas sectors of our great country.