Transport committee  First of all, we are still in the development of the drafting of the regulations, and there are a number of sections. Based on what I understand of your timelines, they wouldn't be available even in a draft form within that timeline, but we would certainly be taking into consideration the comments and the report that is provided in the finalizing of those elements.

Transport committee  If I may add to that, through our provincial, territorial, and federal council for ministers of transportation there have been various levels of conversation through that forum as well with the provinces. As noted, there have also been individual conversations with the municipalities.

Transport committee  I would add that I think there is a whole area that is being referred to. As you start to expand beyond the safety requirements and how you operate such a piece of equipment safely and you get into the approvals of an event, for example, at the city level or the municipality level, or at another level, you're going to need to connect the dots and make sure that we are having that kind of a conversation when you get into the bylaw development that a number of communities are looking at, or when you talk about the commerce that may go on with drones operating in city areas and perhaps operating in a city's residential areas.

Transport committee  If I can just start off on that, you're talking about a variety of different kinds of liability, obviously. Not all of them are within Transport Canada's purview. In particular, we have looked at the liability for danger and damages that might be caused by their operation, in a more general sense.

Transport committee  If I could just close on that, to go back to the process, normally the process, depending on the scale of the regulation, would have these preliminary consultations, which in this case were very large because of the special circumstances. Then the next important phase is to publish in Gazette part I.

Transport committee  In terms of the UAV regulations, maybe I can step very briefly through what we have done to date to address exactly that question. These are regulations that will affect a very large and previously unregulated population, and a variety of groups have interests exactly as you are highlighting.

Transport committee  Perhaps I can start from the regulatory side. I would say yes. There are very strong relationships, and have been for a number of years, as we've developed what we consider to be safety precautionary approaches and implemented them through the special flight operations certificates.

Transport committee  From Transport Canada's perspective, there is some work under way on that. For example, in our special flight operating certificates, we remind users about the requirements to follow privacy requirements, which do exist, but, as you say—

Transport committee  Those are two good questions. On the first question, we're still in the process of developing for public comment the framework that we would propose for regulations for part I of the Canada Gazette. Should we believe there is a safety case, it would require the registration of pilots, a higher level of training, and so on, as was outlined.

Transport committee  I'll just introduce a response, and then turn to Aaron McCrorie, who is the director general responsible and who has studied it in much more detail. First of all, let me say that we do strongly believe in aligning our jurisdictions and our regulatory processes with multiple other jurisdictions.

Transport committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. I am speaking for Transport Canada. I have a prepared set of remarks, but if the committee would prefer, I could table those to be reviewed afterward, in the interest of giving you more time.

Transport committee  Then I would just say that we welcome the opportunity to speak today and look forward to your questions. We will attempt to give you as much information as we can in as brief a period as possible.

Transport committee  I would like to add to that. If there is an unsafe action of any kind that was not adequately assessed in the risk assessment, there are several different authorities under which the inspector and/or the department or minister can take action—and that is, without hesitation, what we would do.

Transport committee  I believe some documents were provided to our parliamentary affairs group to provide to the committee, so you should be seeing them very shortly. I apologize for the delay.

Transport committee  Yes, there is work going on in the policy side of our house that's responsible for implementing that element. I don't have the details with me, but we could provide further information on that. That is well advanced, in my understanding.