Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Transport and
Communications
Issue 8 - Evidence for Thursday, October 24, 1996
OTTAWA, Thursday, October 24, 1996
The Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications met this day at noon to consider future business of the committee.
Senator J. Michael Forrestall (Deputy Chairman) in the Chair.
[English]
The Deputy Chairman: Honourable senators, the chair is unavoidably absent and has asked me as deputy chair to preside over the events today. I welcome you all.
We have the question of the subcommittee on transportation safety before us. Would someone be prepared to move a motion to the effect that the study on transportation safety be undertaken by a subcommittee of this committee?
Senator Spivak: I so move.
The Deputy Chairman: Thank you. The recommendation is that the committee consist of five members, three of whom shall constitute a quorum. Would that be included in the motion?
Senator Spivak: Yes.
The Deputy Chairman: Is that agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Deputy Chairman: It has been moved by the Honourable Senator Mercier that the initial membership of the subcommittee on transportation safety be as follows: The Honourable Senators Adams, Bacon, Forrestall, Mercier, and Roberge, and that substitutions in the membership be communicated to the clerk of the subcommittee. Do we have agreement?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Deputy Chairman: The motion is carried.
The Honourable Senator Mercier moved further that the study of transportation safety and security referred to the main committee by the Senate on October 2, 1996, be referred for consideration and report pursuant to the Rules of the Senate to the subcommittee on transportation safety. Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Deputy Chairman: The Honourable Senator Spivak moved that the following budget application for the subcommittee on transportation safety be approved for submission to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, subject to the granting by the Senate of authority to engage the services of personnel.
The summary of expenses is: for professional and other general services, some $102,000; transportation and communications as we move about the country, $140,000; and all other expenditures, $10,700; for a total of $253,000.
I would add that to the previous motion so that it is understood what we are moving. Is that agreed?
Senator Adams: That amount of money is for how long a term? How long will the subcommittee be studying this matter?
The Deputy Chairman: There are two things involved here. We are required to report by the end of 1997. The other consideration is the end of the fiscal year, which is March 31. We will not spend all that money this year, so it will not be fully allocated to this fiscal year. In other words, that is not the total amount that we will spend on the study. The study has been enlarged from Senator Davey's concept of concern for safety on the highways to a general comparative study of transportation safety by surface, marine and air modes.
Senator Spivak: Does this include recreational boating?
The Deputy Chairman: Recreational boating is a very real concern to Canadians and to Canadian law enforcement officers. We must look at sensitive questions such as mandatory drug testing for transborder truck operations. Mandatory drug testing in the air is virtually with us.
Senator Spivak: Will we be looking at rail as well? Will this be a comparison?
The Deputy Chairman: Yes.
Senator Spivak: That is fantastic. It includes rail crossings and safety and damage to highways caused by trucks.
The Deputy Chairman: Could we have a motion generally for that?
Senator Spivak: I so move.
Senator Adams: Now the budget goes to Internal Economy for approval.
The Deputy Chairman: Now we must adjourn the formal part of the full committee and convene the subcommittee for purposes of naming a chair and deputy chairman, and there are some other required motions authorizing certain activities.
Do I have a motion to adjourn?
Senator Spivak: So moved.
The committee adjourned.