Transport committee  I think the first line of our submission says that we have been critics of safety management systems in aviation since they were first discussed in 1999, and we continue to be. The theory of SMS is fantastic. The reality of SMS in the airline industry for CARs 705 operators--we

Transport committee  We are both. The principle is risk management, wherein employee injuries are now seen as acceptable. So in principle, we're opposed to that, and also to the implementation.

Transport committee  I think the first way there is the question that Mr. Dhaliwal asked on Tuesday. I said then, “There's a good question”. Unfortunately, Monsieur Grégoire did not understand it and he didn't answer it. Here's what Mr. Dhaliwal's question was about. We had a situation with an Air C

Transport committee  I think that is our precise concern on page 7, tab 7, which was borne out with Southwest and borne out in the case of Cougar. Airlines make mistakes. Airlines are under tremendous cost pressure. The regulator needs to be able to go in there to make sure that things are fine. In

Transport committee  I'm not going to venture out because I don't know the details of the Cougar situation exactly and who was inspecting what. Because as I understand it, the manufacturers are not under SMS; they were just under routine surveillance. But from the way you're presenting the informatio

Transport committee  It is absolutely an issue that surrounds the need for extra resources. In terms of us saying that it's x or y number of extra bodies, with respect, I think you should bring forward the unions that represent those inspectors: the CFPA and the UCTE, and I believe there is an engine

Transport committee  On the specific issue of the CBAA, I believe there is a transition period of one year. I understand that Don Sherritt will be leading a consultation process to bring back the old CAR 604 regulations that used to regulate these operators. They hope to do that in a year's time, but

Transport committee  I would take Monsieur Grégoire at his word that he's hiring for those positions. I suspect the arrival of the new deputy minister, whom we have not yet met.... We have asked to meet with her, but we have not yet formally been able to meet with her. I suspect that is a factor in e

Transport committee  In terms of them being able to implement in the regions their policy from section 5.0 of tab 5, which is their surveillance procedures, I don't know where these new people are going. I have not seen their staffing plans. I don't know if there will be sufficient resources in the r

Transport committee  I'm sure we'll be back at this.

Transport committee  We found out on Monday night at 5:30 that we were going to be before this committee. We learned that Transport Canada was appearing on Tuesday morning. We knew we were scheduled for Thursday. We're fast, but we're not that fast, and we did—

Transport committee  I have two comments. One is that I am here today providing those documents, and also, I heard the deputy minister very clearly say that once you have collected the testimony of the witnesses, they would be pleased to return, perhaps even in a round table fashion, to answer what y

Transport committee  On the number of vacancies they're filling, I have no knowledge to disagree with them. All I do remember is that two years ago it was very difficult for this committee to figure out how many inspectors there were from Transport Canada.

Transport committee  No, sir. I think there are three levels that you have to look at. I was there at the testimony on Tuesday and I heard you say that you were a skeptical MP. I think there are three levels: what a government official says; what a government official has written down; and what the b

Transport committee  Good morning. My name is Richard Balnis. I am from the Canadian Union of Public Employees. CUPE represents 600,000 workers across Canada, and our airline division represents 8,500 flight attendants at six airlines in Canada. In front of you are my remarks in English and French.