Question Period: SMS Oversight Reversal
Following the announcement that Transport Canada would reclaim oversight of the business aviation sector from the CBAA (see Transport Canada Reclaims Authority Over Business Aviation Sector), NDP Transport Critic Dennis Bevington questions Transport Minister Baird about plans for the rest of the industry. Watch the exchange between Mr. Bevington and John Baird, Minister of Transport that took place on March 18, 2010.
What follows is the transcript of the procedings.
Mr. Dennis Bevington (Western Arctic, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday the government acknowledged that it was wrong for leaving safety in the hands of business jet owners. I am glad they are taking back the responsibility for safety, something the NDP and safety advocates have been pushing for, for many years.
However, most Canadians do not fly on business jets but on major carriers like Air Canada and WestJet, where Transport Canada has also gotten out of the safety business.
Will the minister do for the major carriers what he has done for business aircraft and take back responsibility for safety?
Hon. John Baird (Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, like the New Democratic Party and my friend opposite, when I reviewed the issue I, too, was a bit surprised that the previous Liberal government put the fox in charge of the henhouse.
We did a lot of listening, not just to our NDP friends but indeed to our various employees at the Department of Transport. We will ensure that the strong public interest in safety is done by members of the hard-working public service.
Mr. Dennis Bevington (Western Arctic, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, in its report on the crash of a medevac flight at Sandy Bay, Saskatchewan, the Transport Safety Board said that the department was so busy getting out of safety oversight that it really did not know what was going on with the airline involved. The problem is that inspectors must be inspecting, not checking paperwork.
Will the minister put the inspectors back in the field, right now, ensuring the safety of all Canadians when we fly across this great country?
Hon. John Baird (Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, at Transport Canada one of our most important priorities is to ensure the safety of the travelling public.
We are working hard with our employees. We are working hard with industry. We are working hard with advocates on this important issue. We have a new director general for aviation security who is working hard with our team in every part of the country.
We are going to do everything we can to ensure that all reasonable measures are taken to ensure that the travelling public is safe when people board a commercial aircraft.
