Transport committee  What I am saying is that an audit that is a focused audit is a limited audit. It's not a general audit of a carrier's operations. The focus is on a specific area. That's what “focused” means.

Transport committee  I am using the word “limited” in the sense that it's a focused audit, as opposed to what is a normal audit.

Transport committee  I'm suggesting the national audit program has been, for all practical purposes, limited. They've cancelled it. You've just heard Mr. Julian read the three sections that affect the national audit program.

Transport committee  Yes, I certainly do. They reflect the situation that happened pre-Dryden. There was a shortage of inspectors. They couldn't carry out their oversight obligations. In the case of Air Ontario, as I mention in my presentation, they were let loose on their own, basically, to set up t

Transport committee  I certainly think it's on the horizon, especially if this oversight divesting is allowed to proceed.

Transport committee  That's absolutely correct. I might point out a few other things. Canada's national audit program, even before they suspended it, did not meet the standards of other member states of ICAO. For example, it has a schedule of one audit every three years for air ops, maintenance,

Transport committee  I'm very strongly of that view.

Transport committee  Well, it's a matter of convincing the government that this is necessary. I think the committee has the power to make a recommendation in that respect, and hopefully the government will seriously consider it. On the question of the number of inspectors, I might point out that at

Transport committee  I understand the Transport Canada initiative to provide, for small carriers, lesser requirements with respect to the SMS system, something that would be affordable to them. But I think every carrier should be required to have a safety organization within it. It may not be as elab

Transport committee  That's the way I read it. Each airline will have the capacity to set its own safety standards.

Transport committee  What I see is the necessity of importing into clause 12 a provision requiring regulatory oversight by the regulator, Transport Canada. If you do that, I think you will have a very effective system. At the moment, it's quite clear to most objective observers that Transport Canada

Transport committee  It certainly does, because you'll have airport authorities setting standards with nobody looking over their shoulder--not effectively; there may be some cursory audit.

Transport committee  That's partially correct, because if you take clause 12 out, you don't have SMS. What I'm saying is don't take SMS out of clause 12; put in additional responsibility on the part of the regulator to carry out its oversight function of the carriers and whoever else is involved.

Transport committee  An SMS system is certainly one that should be encouraged. For some years now the major carriers have had their own safety organizations within the carriers, and they're doing a great job. I don't think you have too many worries with the major carriers; the worries, I think, are i

Transport committee  I think it's fair.