TRAN Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities met in camera at 9:07 a.m. this day, in Room 371, West Block, the Chair, Merv Tweed, presiding.

The Chair presented the Second Report from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure which read as follows:

1. That the Agenda for the Standing Committee’s meeting of Thursday, March 25, 2010, be Committee Business (Report of the Subcommittee, Motions, item related to Infrastructure Spending), followed by the consideration of Bill C-310, An Act to Provide Certain Rights to Air Passengers.

2. That the Committee’s work plan for the period March – June 2010 include the following studies, continued from the last session: High Speed Rail (including the Bombardier site visit), and Bill C-310, and that the evidence and documentation received by the Committee during the Second Session of the 40th Parliament be taken into consideration by the Committee in this Session.

3. That in principle, the Committee undertake studies on the following subjects and that the scope of the studies and scheduling of meetings be further discussed and/or arranged by the Chair: Aviation Safety, Aviation Security, and the implementation of the Navigable Waters Protection Act.

4. That the Committee invite the Minister and Senior Officials from the Department of Transport to appear on Main Estimates 2010-11, and request several dates from the Minister’s Office for scheduling purposes.

5. That the Chair request an update from the Department of Transport on follow-up items related to the Toyota study, and that further meetings be scheduled as necessary.

6. That officials from the Department of Transport be invited to appear on Tuesday, March 30, 2010, on Safety Management Systems under the Aviation Safety study.

It was agreed, — That the report of the Subcommittee be concurred in.

It was agreed, — That further to the Committee's decision to study in principle the subject of Aviation Safety and Security, that the Committee's terms of reference for the study include, but be not limited to the following aspects of the subject:

-Transport Canada’s implementation of safety management systems for the aviation industry, in particular the delegation of oversight and administration for business aircraft to the Canadian Business Aviation Association;

-the security threat to Canada’s aviation industry from a global and national perspective;

-whether the current security measures are adequate to deter this threat;

-what are the costs to Canadians (both monetary and social) for the current security measures;

-whether there are alternative measures which would be as effective in deterring the current threat with lower socio-monetary costs;

-implementation of new-wave scanners in Canadian airports;

-queuing of passengers at airports, bus terminals, rail terminals and ports;

-pre-approved levels of security clearance;

-security area waste and cast-offs; and

that the Committee report the results of the study and make recommendations to the House of Commons.

It was agreed, — That officials from Transport Canada be invited to be present for future meetings on Safety Management Systems (Aviation Safety and Security study) in order to respond to the testimony of other witnesses.

It was agreed, — That the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities conduct a study of the impact of the government's deadline of March 31, 2011, for infrastructure stimulus projects and that it invite affected municipal and provincial infrastructure stimulus partners to discuss their ability to complete projects in time and what flexibility may be required to complete projects in a timely, cost effective and fair manner and that the results be reported to the House.

It was agreed, — That the debate on the motion under consideration be adjourned to a later date.

It was agreed, — That members provide the names of suggested witnesses to the Chair and the Clerk as soon as possible for the various studies agreed to this day.

It was agreed, — That the Chair circulate a calendar with tentative dates and times for each study.

It was agreed, — That the Committee proceed to sit in public.

At 10:47 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 10:47 a.m., the sitting resumed.

Pursuant to Standing Order 75(1), consideration of Clause 1 was postponed.

The Chair called Clause 2.

Mario Laframboise moved, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 97.1, and, after some hearings on Bill C-310 (Air Passengers' Bill of Rights), the Committee recommend that the House do not proceed further with Bill C-310 because it makes air carriers responsible for passenger inconveniences and excludes the responsibility of other parties such as an airport authority, NAV CANADA, Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), and the Canada Border Services Agency.

Debate arose thereon.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 7; NAYS: 3.

Brian Jean moved, — That the Chair report the motion on Bill C-310 to the House.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 7; NAYS: 3.

At 11:01 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.