Special Senate Committee On Transportation Safety And Security
Interim Report
Chairman : The Honourable J. Michael Forrestall
Deputy Chairman : The Honourable Willie Adams
January, 1999
Our report is the result of extensive hearings throughout Canada, the United States and Europe. It is the sincere hope of our Special Committee that the work we have done makes an important contribution to transportation safety and security for Canadians, both at home and abroad.
We believe that our recommendations contain insights that, if implemented, can help to create the changes needed to ensure safer travel for people and transportation of goods.
As chair of this Special Committee, I would like to thank the members of the Committee for their hard work and dedication.
Senator Willie Adams, Senator Lise Bacon, Senator Janis G. Johnson, Senator Archibald Johnstone, Senator Léonce Mercier, Senator Fernand Roberge and Senator Mira Spivak.
I would also like to thank the witnesses who appeared before us and so willingly and openly shared their experience with us. Many of their views and suggestions are reflected in our report.
In particular, The Committee would like to acknowledge the efforts and expertise of our staff.
Mr. Frank Barber, Mr. Bruce Carson, Mr. John Christopher, Mr. Keith Miller, Mrs. Cathy Piccinin, Mr. Denis Robert and Mr. Timothy Ross Wilson.
In commending our report to the readers, we would like to emphasize our prayers that through our work even one life may be saved.
J.Michael Forrestall
Chairman
INTRODUCTION
SAFETY ISSUES OF CONCERN WHICH AFFECT ALL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION
A. Development of a Culture of Safety
B. Canada’s Changing Transportation Workforce
C. Alcohol and Drug Abuse in the Transportation Industry.
THE TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD OF CANADA
A. The Work of The Board
B. Assistance to Families of Victims
RAILWAY SAFETY
A. Safety Issues
B. Rail Safety Issues in The United States and France
MARINE SAFETY
A. Safety Issues relating to Recreational Boaters
B. The Training and Work Environment in Canada’s Marine Industry
C. Pilotage
D. Other Marine Safety Issues
LIGHTHOUSE SAFETY ISSUES
HIGHWAY TRANPORTATION SAFETY
A. Highway Construction, Repair and Maintenance
B. Education
C. Driver Training and Licensing
D. Transportation of Dangerous Goods
E. Enforcement of Laws and Adoption of a National Safety Code
AIR SAFETY AND SECURITY
A. Airline Safety Issues in Northern Canada
B. Air Navigation on Canada's West Coast
C. Airport Safety and Security
D. The Privatization of Air Navigation Services
E. Helicopter Safety
F. Airline Safety in General
THE WAY AHEAD – SAFETY IN THE FUTURE
LIST OF WITNESSES
INTRODUCTION
AUSTRALIA
A. Transportation Safety Bureau
B. State Railway Authority
C. Roads & Traffic Authority (RTA)
D. National Roads and Motorist Association ( N.R.M.A.)
E. Air Round Table
F. Maritime Transport Safety Management
NEW ZEALAND
A. Ministry of Transport
B. Transportation Accident Investigation Commission ( TAIC)
C. Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA)
D. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)
CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION
The Role of the US State Department in Foreign and Domestic Aviation Disasters
The Twa Flight 800 Disaster
Accident Information Data Management Systems
The Cornerstone of Family Assistance Programs
Recommendation 1:
We recommend that federal and provincial governments and those involved in the transportation industry in Canada work together through education, research and advertising programs to promote a culture of transportation safety among all Canadians
Recommendation 2:
We recommend that participants in the transportation industry in Canada establish "in-house" safety committees composed of representatives of both the employer and employees.
Recommendation 3
We recommend that Transport Canada reconsider its position and we urge the government to proceed to permit mandatory, random drug and alcohol testing in the transportation industry similar to United States legislation.
Recommendation 4
We recommend that the government be required to respond to recommendations of the Transportation Safety Board within 90 days of their publication and that these responses be tabled in the Senate and in the House of Commons.
Recommendation 5
We recommend that the mandate of the Transportation Safety Board be expanded to include the investigation of highway accidents, especially those involving transport trucks over 4500 kg in gross vehicle weight. The budget of this Board be increased accordingly to accommodate this new responsibility.
Recommendation 6
We recommend that the government of Canada through the Canadian Transportation Agency, the Department of Transport and the Transportation Safety Board require the airlines operating within Canada to adopt disaster plans similar to the one adopted by Continental Airlines in the United States.
We recommend that the Transportation Safety Board be given jurisdiction over the implementation of family and victim assistance in Canada for all transportation modes under the jurisdiction of the Board.
We recommend that all airlines operating within Canada be required to record the full name of each Canadian citizen travelling on flights to and from Canada and to request a contact name and a phone number from those passengers.
Recommendation 7
We recommend that the federal government and the provinces establish a fund for highway building, repair and maintenance by setting aside a portion of the excise tax imposed on gasoline.
We recommend the federal government and the provinces also establish a new infrastructure program dedicated solely to building new highways and to upgrading and repairing existing highways.
Recommendation 8
We recommend that automobile manufacturers undertake public education programs in order to ensure that the motoring public is aware of the proper utilization of the equipment built into modern automobiles.
Recommendation 9:
We recommend that tires, especially truck tires, should only be retreaded by those who are fully qualified and who have the proper equipment. All retreaded tires must also be stamped to indicate that they are retreaded.
Extract from the of Journals of the Senate of Thursday, June 18, 1998:
The Honourable Senator Forrestall moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Carstairs:
THAT a special committee of the Senate be appointed to examine and report upon the state of transportation safety and security in Canada and to complete a comparative review of technical issues and legal and regulatory structures with a view to ensuring that transportation safety and security in Canada are of such high quality as to meet the needs of Canada and Canadians in the twenty-first century;
THAT the committee be composed of seven Senators, three of whom shall constitute a quorum;
THAT notwithstanding Rule 85(1)(b), the Members of the Special Committee be the Honourable Senators Adams, Bacon, Fitzpatrick, Forrestall, Johnson, Mercier and Roberge.
THAT the committee be empowered to send for persons, papers and records, to examine witnesses, to report from time to time and to print such papers and evidence from day to day as may be ordered by the committee;
THAT the papers and evidence received by the Sub-Committee on Transportation Safety of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications taken on the subject and the work accomplished during the Second Session of the Thirty-fifth Parliament and the First Session of the Thirty-sixth Parliament be referred to the Committee;
THAT the committee be empowered to engage the services of such counsel and technical, clerical and other personnel as may be necessary for the purpose of its study;
THAT the Committee be authorized to permit coverage by electronic media of its public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its hearings; and
THAT the committee be empowered to adjourn from place to place within and outside Canada
THAT the Committee present its final report no later than March 31, 1999.
THAT, notwithstanding usual practices, if the Senate is not sitting when the final report of the committee is completed, the committee shall deposit its report with the Clerk of the Senate, and said report shall thereupon be deemed to have been tabled in this Chamber.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Paul C. Bélisle
Clerk of the Senate
MEMBERSHIP LIST
Senator J. Michael Forrestall (Chairman)
Senator Willie Adams (Deputy – Chairman)
*Senator Alasdair B. Graham (or Sharon Carstairs)
Senator Archibald Johnstone
*Senator John Lynch-Staunton (or Eric A. Berntson)
Senator Fernand Roberge
Senator Mira Spivak
* Ex Officio Members
Other senators who have participated in this study:
Senator Lise Bacon
Senator Sister Peggy Butts
Senator Thelma Chalifoux
Senator Eymard G. Corbin
Senator Ross D. Fitzpatrick
Senator Janis G. Johnson
Senator Léonce Mercier