NDP Promote Petition for Judicial Inquiry
On October 16th, NDP MP Peter Julian added a slightly altered version of our petition to his website. PDF versions are available in English and French.
Link to English version.
Link to French version.
Note that various unions are also or will be circulating this version of the petition.
A PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS:
A CALL FOR A COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO AVIATION SAFETY
We, the undersigned Citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:
WHEREAS, Transport Canada is reducing traditional oversight and inspection methods and delegating its responsibilities to aviation companies via Safety Management Systems (SMS);
WHEREAS, the Government of Canada sought amendments to the Aeronautics Act that contain detrimental secrecy provisions and do not enact effective whistleblower protection for industry workers reporting unsafe practices, whether in the public or private sectors;
WHEREAS, amendments to the Canadian Aviation Regulations are due soon which will implement SMS into the riskiest sectors of aviation;
WHEREAS, financial considerations often outweigh safety, especially in times of world-wide financial crisis such as now being experienced;
WHEREAS, for organizations under financial constraints, either in the public or private sectors, there is no motivation to self-report or correct safety infractions and wrong-doings;
WHEREAS, the Transportation Safety Board no longer investigates all serious accidents for cause and contributing factors, nor does it make public the results of all investigations, resulting in a loss of valuable safety information;
WHEREAS, this reduction of government oversight and investigation is in response to a lack of appropriate funding and fear of Crown liability;
WHEREAS, consequently, Canada may no longer be compliant with our obligations to the International Civil Aviation Organization under the Chicago Convention;
WHEREAS, aviation workers and the travelling public are in danger as a result.
THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to initiate a Commission of Inquiry, headed by a Superior Court judge, to conduct a judicial review into Canada’s state of national aviation safety and government oversight of the aviation industry, to be followed by further reviews at defined intervals.
