Transport committee  Good morning. Thank you to the committee for the invitation to appear here today as part of a review of the Canadian transportation safety regime. We really do appreciate the opportunity to discuss our experience with the transportation of dangerous goods and the implementation

Transport committee  We are quite familiar with this survey. To be honest, the results are very difficult to understand. As Mr. Deveau explained, as far as we're concerned, an internationally recognized safety management system that has proven itself has been put in place. The system must study the

Transport committee  Unfortunately, I can't answer that question. Perhaps it should be put to the people at Transport Canada.

Transport committee  Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with the figures, but what I can tell you is that an SMS makes better oversight possible. The members of my organization can confirm that.

Transport committee  I can't make that decision right now. I will have to consult the members of my organization. Internal transparency is very important. Employees need to be familiar with the safety management system.

Transport committee  I'll ask my members, but just generally, …one of the advantages of an SMS is that all levels of the organization are involved. I will let someone with more experience answer your question. Could someone speak about the engagement?

Transport committee  Absolutely. We can't speak to what's going on at Transport Canada, but we can speak to our interactions with the inspectors, and under an SMS the interactions are so much more meaningful. They address the root cause. They work backwards. They have to explain the mitigation measur

Transport committee  I guess you will have to follow up with the minister. I can't let this out there.... The suggestion that airlines go uninspected for a year, or three, or five, is false and inaccurate. There is no scenario—

Transport committee  —to safety, absolutely.

Transport committee  Well, I don't think it's fair to say that they don't have their act together. Our members work well with the inspectors—

Transport committee  Pardon me?

Transport committee  Absolutely. As you may know, there's another association of air carriers, the Air Transport Association of Canada. Our members were part of that association. In 2008, my understanding is that, given the nature of the operations of the members of the NACC, and given the nature of

Transport committee  Sure. We believe it is a partnership, especially given the nature of the enhanced interaction with Transport Canada inspectors now. The SMS framework is not simply a compliance issue or kind of focusing narrowly, maybe, on a particular issue that was discovered. Under SMS, there

Transport committee  There are several categories, such as batteries, certain gases, as well as pharmaceutical products. I will turn it over to my colleague, Jacques Mignault, who will be able to go into more detail.

Transport committee  I will answer first. To begin with, it is important to understand that the matter of flight attendants is simply a harmonization of regulations that already exist across Europe and the United States.