Lisa Raitt

[Business of Supply, May 7th, 2014]

Mr. Chair, I can say that there are approximately 30,000 inspections done per year. This year we are looking at 33,000 inspections, which is the highest number we have ever contemplated and produced.

[Business of Supply, May 7th, 2014]

Mr. Chair, I was very specific in the Transportation Safety Board response we gave on April 23, and I did not refer to any of those matters.

I did indicate that we were making some changes in the protective direction. We would make sure, going forward, in terms of the emergency directive, that we require railway companies to immediately implement key operating practices responding to the recommendation, including reducing the speed of trains transporting dangerous goods.

That is taking place with respect to elements that are already in place in the United States, in a circular regarding operating practices specifically, because they have signed a memorandum of co-operation between the U.S. DOT and the Association of American Railroads as well.

[Business of Supply, May 7th, 2014]

Mr. Chair, I completely reject the premise of that assertion at the tail end of the question. There is no evidence that we have cut safety inspectors in this country with respect to rail. In fact, we are the ones who increased the amount of funding in it.

With respect to the specific question, let me just say that there is a myriad of issues that come into play. We expect that railway companies will adhere and abide by regulations we put in place; otherwise, they would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

[Business of Supply, May 7th, 2014]

Mr. Chair, in a Transportation Safety Board response, we indicated that we would order immediately that key trains carrying crude oil would be reduced to 50 miles per hour. However, risk analysis and assessments would have to be carried out in certain areas, taking into consideration certain factors to see whether that speed would be lowered to 40 miles per hour.

[Business of Supply, May 7th, 2014]

Mr. Chair, absolutely. I think it is important to note that under current market conditions, of course without the regulatory piece that we put in place most recently in our announcement of three years, it probably was the amount that they could do.

I have great confidence that the market will respond to this issue, that they will find capacity, and that they will continue to want to do this work. As the parliamentary secretary mentioned, this is an opportunity for construction and jobs as well.

[Business of Supply, May 7th, 2014]

Mr. Chair, my officials have consulted with industry on the matter and they have brought back information. We considered these factors when we set out three years as the appropriate plan. We thought it was a good balance between what industry will be pushed to do and what we needed to do for the safety of Canadians.

[Business of Supply, May 7th, 2014]

Mr. Chair, in our response to the TSB recommendations, we indicated that the most unsafe cars, 5,000 of them specifically, will be phased out shorter than that, within 30 days. With respect to the balance of the DOT-111 cars for use in crude oil or ethanol, that they would be retrofitted or phased out in the next three years.

[Business of Supply, May 7th, 2014]

Mr. Chair, I do not have the specific numbers other than to indicate what the volumes have been. We know that they have been increasing in terms of the volumes of crude oil being shipped through these means.

[Business of Supply, May 7th, 2014]

Mr. Chair, I can tell the hon. member that the universe of DOT-111s for flammable service in North America is 67,000.

[Business of Supply, May 7th, 2014]

Mr. Chair, Transport Canada absolutely believes that the safety and security of Canadians in the transportation infrastructure and in the systems is of utmost importance. I always say that it is my top priority.