Transport committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning. My name is Michael Keenan. I am delighted to be appearing before your committee. This is the first time I've had the opportunity to do so since I was appointed deputy minister of Transport Canada a few months ago. Transport Canada's priorit

Transport committee  Thank you for the question. I don't think I have anything to add to the minister's remarks on privatizing ports and airports. I think he answered that question well. You also asked a question about the study on the Navigation Protection Act. I would say on that matter that th

Transport committee  Yes, it's true; I remember writing that email. I'm sorry, but I didn't mean to give the impression that I was trying to direct the committee's work. I was concerned that Marilyn Slett, who is the Chief of the Heiltsuk Nation in Bella Bella, had difficulty in distinguishing the m

Transport committee  Madam Chair, I might add that I believe the 18 ports that are referred to would represent the 18 ports that are constituted as port authorities, with letters patent signed by the Minister of Transport. Trois-Rivières would be one of those 18.

Transport committee  As the minister said, the Government of Canada, whether the Department of Finance or the Department of Transport, must do its homework when it comes to investments in the high frequency rail project. The $888,000 that is in the supplementary estimates (B) is for one of three yea

Transport committee  The partners of the proposed infrastructure bank have not been identified because the government is in the process of developing the details for setting it up. The Minister of Finance announced the bank in the fall update. The Government of Canada is working, as part of its broa

Transport committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to make a few comments to begin. I'm in your hands, Madam Chair. Should we go around and introduce the officials at the table, or should we just launch into it and come in as we go?

Transport committee  As necessary, great. Okay. I'm happy to be here today with officials from the department, and the portfolio heads. Unfortunately, as you've already discussed, the minister is unable to be here due to the scheduling changes, but I'm happy to talk about the main estimates. Please

Transport committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd like to thank the member for her very kind comments. It's great to see her again. In terms of the resources for 2017-18, on a strict mains-to-mains basis the numbers are up, but as the member correctly states, when you look at the mains and all the s

Transport committee  Madam Chair, I would use the example of the oceans protection plan because we're implicitly talking about that. An announcement was made by the Prime Minister in November, I believe. In the decision-making process of the government at that point, there had been a cabinet decision

Transport committee  I should clarify that in the proposed main estimates there is no funding for a trade and transportation corridor data initiative or an initiative on developing better intelligence on transportation system fluidity and logistics. There is, however, language in budget 2017 to do ex

Transport committee  Thank you. I would be happy to comment. In fact, Minister Garneau has been to Washington and has met his counterpart at the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and key congressional leaders, both in the House and the Senate, essentially talkin

Transport committee  Thank you for the question. Briefly, no, we are not subject to special Treasury Board supervision. Over the past year and a half, the department undertook a management review of the departmental finances. We have concluded the first step in that process. With the advice and he

Transport committee  I'm not sure I understood. I'm sorry, but could you repeat the question?

Transport committee  That's true, but I'd like to answer in English. We have, from year to year, fluctuations in spending and oversight activities in particular areas for particular reasons. We did have the reduction that year in spending as described. We look at these programs from a multi-year p