Transport committee  Thank you for that.

Transport committee  Yes, I have a quick question for Madam Superintendent on school bus issues around seat belts. Obviously, you have talked about investigations around different incidents and so on. From a safety perspective, do you think having seat belts would add any value to school buses versus not having seat belts?

Transport committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. Welcome to our witnesses today. A few weeks ago I watched I think it was a CTV W5 investigation on school bus safety, as Mr. Iacono just referenced, not only in Canada but in the U.S. and other jurisdictions, where they talked about seat belt use in school buses in particular.

Transport committee  Madam Chair, if I could interject for a second, I'd like to propose a motion for the committee to consider. It reads as follows: That in light of the committee not travelling to Atlantic Canada and Quebec, the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure, and Communities conduct no less than 4 meetings to continue their study on a Trade and Transportation Strategy with witnesses from both Atlantic Canada and Quebec and that the Chair be empowered to coordinate the necessary witnesses and schedule.

Transport committee  I'll be anxiously awaiting that update.

Transport committee  Mr. Keenan, I'm happy to see that our government's investing in rural and remote airports across the country, and particularly, of course, in Wabush, Newfoundland and Labrador. Marine Atlantic provides critical service to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. They're requesting around $38 million in these interim estimates, and we know that one of the areas of focus for Marine Atlantic is fleet renewal.

Transport committee  And do you believe that's the most effective way of addressing the critical shortage of pilots in the north, to train indigenous people?

Transport committee  Mr. Doiron, welcome from Gander, Newfoundland. Being an MP from Newfoundland and Labrador, I wanted to say hi. You mentioned some recommendations. One that you just referred to concerned financial challenges, the costs of training. We've heard from other witnesses on that point as well.

Transport committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. Welcome to our witnesses. I want to focus on the labour market information report of March 2018, which identified that only 7% of pilots are women. There's also, of course, the indigenous side in terms of under-representation. I want to ask this of Kendra, first of all, given that we've seen the work that you're doing with your organization, trying to elevate the profile of training and so on for females and indigenous people.

Transport committee  That awareness piece, then, is huge.

Transport committee  Ms. Tabobandung, you mentioned the lack of investment in infrastructure. Do you mean in new infrastructure, in maintaining current infrastructure, or both?

Transport committee  I thank you for that. I've done a lot of flying in my lifetime, and I think last year was the first time on a flight where I ever saw a pilot and a co-pilot who were female. That was the first time I've ever seen that. The other comment I want to make is directed to Captain Mike Hoff.

Transport committee  Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you to the witnesses for appearing today. I want to address my question to Caroline first. According to the labour market report of March 2018, only 30% of the people involved in the aviation industry are female, and only 7% of pilots are women.

Transport committee  I do. First of all, thanks, gentlemen, for being here this morning. Thank you, Chair. My question is for Mr. Strom. Aircraft noise is not an issue in my area of Newfoundland and Labrador, specifically Gander airport, particularly since Air Canada cancelled morning flights and night flights, which makes life very difficult for travellers and for the business community trying to get out of the province and into other parts of the country.

Transport committee  Thank you. I'll now turn it over to Mr. Sikand.