Transport committee  No.

Transport committee  Yes, they are inspectors at Transport Canada.

Transport committee  That's correct.

Transport committee  This isn't a concern about the loss of jobs. There's way more work to do now than our members are capable of handling. Even by redirecting their activities from the audits and inspections, which traditionally they have done, over to SMS assessment activities, there's still going to be way more work than they can handle.

Transport committee  I'm very concerned, and I've raised this issue with the department. Our numbers indicate that we are now down to the same levels as a number of years ago, when the department had major initiatives about recruitment and retention and was very concerned about inspector shortages. I raised the concern, saying that I'm concerned because our numbers are back in that range again, and there is no discussion about shortages.

Transport committee  The directive is contained in tab 2 of your reference material. It's the actual copy of the directive that is in force and remains in force on Transport Canada's website. It was made effective December 16, 2005. My understanding is that it is still in force and effect. It specifically says that it will apply to all civil aviation functions responsible for oversight or certification of the aviation industry, as well as those responsible for enforcement and investigation of regulatory contraventions.

Transport committee  If you were to go to the website and review the enforcement policy and the specific procedures to be followed by inspectors, they are instructed that if they are advised of an occurrence that relates to a company that has an SMS or is working on an SMS, then they are not to take any action in enforcement or investigation, and they are to refer to the inspector responsible for that company, who will forward that information directly to the company and request that they handle the investigation and look into the occurrence in accordance with their safety management system.

Transport committee  Not to investigate any reports of occurrences, yes, for those companies that have an SMS.

Transport committee  It now means that you do not have, on a regular basis, a multidisciplinary team of experts--pilots, maintenance engineers, dangerous goods personnel, cabin safety people--going in and conducting a complete review of an airline's operations on an ongoing basis. It will be done now strictly as focused inspections on an as-required basis where Transport Canada has information to believe that there is something they need to look at.

Transport committee  That's our belief, and what it does is takes away the regular, ongoing, independent review of aviation operations done by a third party outside of the company.

Transport committee  I can't speak to what Mr. Preuss's intentions were.

Transport committee  My understanding of the comment was that it would not have been seen favourably by Transport Canada if any active inspectors appeared before this committee.

Transport committee  As a result, I looked at it from the perspective that I am the only individual who can share this message with you gentlemen, so that you can have it available to—

Transport committee  I didn't speak directly with the individual, no. It was a message from my—

Transport committee  The documents talking about the reduction in inspectors refer to demographic studies done both in the public service and by the department itself that expect up to 40% to 50% of the inspectorate will be eligible for retirement over the next few years, so that creates a potential liability for a reduction because of attrition and retirements and aging.