Question Period: After "The Fifth Estate"

Following CBC's The Fifth Estate examination of air safety and security in Canada in "Riding on Risk", NDP Transport Critic Dennis Bevington once again raises the issue during Question Period in the House of Commons on September 28th.

Mr. Bevington first raised this issue during Question Period on April 22nd, following the April 21st Aviation Safety Round Table.  He raised the issue again in September 15th.

The text of the question and response can be found below.

 (Video 1:20)

Mr. Dennis Bevington (Western Arctic, NDP):  Mr. Speaker, this weekend, CBC's the fifth estate reported that the government was walking away from aviation safety and security. When I raised this issue before, the minister told the House that this “is an important public role for the government...and we take it very seriously”.

Previously, the Minister of State for Transport told the House that I should apologize for questioning the government's commitment to safety.

The government should apologize. Its deregulation ideology puts profits before safety and security. Why is the minister putting Canadians' safety at risk?

Hon. John Baird (Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, CPC):  Mr. Speaker, I am supported by a great team of senior officials at the Department of Transport and a lot of folks who work on the ground. I have no hesitation in saying that we need to do a much better job at listening to their concerns as we move forward with changes.

What we are doing is increasing employee screening, which is important. A lot of good work has been done in the Senate by Senator Kenny and others. We are improving background checks for employees, launching an air cargo screening pilot program and launching efforts to further restrict access to the tarmac and those crucial areas that surround airports.

Allegations that our safety and security is being breached are being treated very seriously and we are working hard to improve the situation.