House of Commons Debates VOLUME 147 Ï NUMBER 182 Ï 2nd SESSION Ï 41st PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Monday, March 9, 2015 Speaker: The Honourable Andrew Scheer CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 11819 HOUSE OF COMMONS Monday, March 9, 2015 The House met at 11 a.m. CATSAwas the centerpiece of the Government of Canada's response to the events of September 11, 2001 and part of a comprehensive $2.2 billion package of aviation security initiatives in the December 2001 budget. Established on April 1, 2002, CATSA’s responsibilities fall into four major areas: Prayers Pre-board screening of passengers and their belongings; Hold baggage screening through explosives detection systems at airports; PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS Non-passenger screening of those entering restricted airport areas; Ï (1105) Restricted area identity card implementation and management.... [Translation] CATSA’s mission is to protect the public by securing critical elements of the air CANADIAN AIR TRANSPORT SECURITY AUTHORITY transportation system as assigned by the Government of Canada. Mr. Pierre-Luc Dusseault (Sherbrooke, NDP) moved: It is important to highlight “as assigned by”. That, in the opinion of the House, the government should present, as soon as possible, a mechanism that would allow non-designated airports, that is, airports that are not on the 2004 list of airports designated under the Canadian Air Transport Why is such screening by CATSA so important? People are Security Authority Act (CATSA), to provide, at their expense, CATSA-recognized probably wondering what the problem is exactly. Why are we security screening in a manner that would not compromise the health and safety of moving this motion today? The answer is simple. When CATSA was passengers, and would uphold existing CATSA standards. created in 2002, the then government established a list of 87 airports He said: Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to debate the that would be served by the administration. In 2004, two airports motion that I have the honour of sponsoring, Motion No. 553. I feel were added to that list, bringing the number of designated airports to proud and privileged to be able to express myself on behalf of the 89. Is the Sherbrooke airport on that list? Obviously, the answer is people of Sherbrooke on such an important issue. no. That is where the problem lies, and that is precisely why I am raising this issue today. For the benefit of my colleagues and Canadians who are watching, I would like to begin by reading the text of the motion I have moved: Some will likely ask me what difference being on this list makes That, in the opinion of the House, the government should present, as soon as to an airport's ability to offer commercial flights. It changes possible, a mechanism that would allow non-designated airports, that is, airports that are not on the 2004 list of airports designated under the Canadian Air Transport everything for Sherbrooke. Security Authority Act (CATSA), to provide, at their expense, CATSA-recognized security screening in a manner that would not compromise the health and safety of Sherbrooke was close to concluding an agreement with a national passengers, and would uphold existing CATSA standards. airline, which was prepared to start operating flights between I would now like to put all of that into context and explain how Sherbrooke and major economic centres. The essential, non- significant this motion is for many airports across Canada, including negotiable condition for the airline in question was that the of course the Sherbrooke airport. After reading the bill, I have to Sherbrooke airport be designated under the Canadian Air Transport admit that it is quite technical, but I will do my best to explain it in Security Authority Act. It was during these talks that Sherbrooke layman's terms before I try to convince members. applied to Transport Canada for its designation. What is CATSA? I am sure many of my colleagues who fly back In June 2013, Transport Canada, through its minister, rejected this and forth between their ridings and Ottawa every week are already application for designation. The agreement with the airline fell familiar with CATSA agents. If they are not, they meet them every through. This abortive agreement proves something very important: week. Here is how CATSA defines itself: airlines are interested in the Sherbrooke airport, and there is certainly The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority is a Crown corporation an attractive market because they were ready to add flights in 2012- responsible for securing specific elements of the air transportation system—from 13. passenger and baggage screening to screening airport workers. Established on April 1, 2002, CATSA is fully funded by parliamentary appropriations and is accountable to Parliament through the Minister of Transport. The simplest solution would be to add Sherbrooke to this list as CATSA is governed by a Board of Directors with its operations directed by a the 90th airport. The government must have thought, why do things Senior Management Team.... the easy way when we can do them the hard way. 11820 COMMONS DEBATES March 9, 2015 Private Members' Business Why did the government refuse to give the Sherbrooke airport that between GDP growth and the growth in the number of domestic flights. Second, designation, especially when adding it is rather simple? It can be when there is an airport on the outskirts of a city, it has a facilitating effect on regional businesses by giving them access to new markets. Third, an airport given by regulation made by the Governor in Council and does not changes the economic and demographic structure of the region and is one of the require legislation. I would remind members that two airports were factors that companies such as research and development firms consider when added by regulation in 2004. deciding whether to locate there. ...Ivy et al. (2005) show that the connectivity of airport services has an impact on We still do not know why Transport Canada refused the jobs at headquarters and promotes the development of research institutions as well application. Although we have repeatedly asked the minister for an as the financial sector. In addition to the complementarity of public and private explanation, she has only given one response that might give us a investments, an airport has a facilitating effect, which increases access to people clue, in which she said that CATSA is not an economic development and their ideas, to capital and to markets... body. Ten other airports besides Sherbrooke have applied for ...Green (2007) finds a strong connection between air traffic in a region and the growth of its population and job market. designation since 2004. They were all refused. Is it for financial ...The Sherbrooke University Pole, which helps generate research and develop- reasons? It is up to the government to tell us. ment activities in addition to private sector investments, could greatly benefit from this facilitating effect, increasing the economic impact on the region. Sherbrooke had anticipated this potential pretext for Transport The problems related to transportation that the Sherbrooke area is currently Canada's refusal. In its application for designation, Sherbrooke had facing are part of a larger, similar problem facing Canada, the United States and offered to cover the associated costs. In its June 2013 letter of refusal Australia, namely, low population density and vast distances between communities and subsequent answers in the House, Transport Canada opened the across the country. In 2011 for instance, about 54% of the population lived in the door to a mechanism that would allow non-designated airports to Montreal and Quebec City census metropolitan areas. That being said, population growth in the Sherbrooke census metropolitan area is higher than the Quebec provide Canadian Air Transport Security Authority security screen- average. This population growth is taking place without the air transportation ing on a cost-recovery basis. infrastructure that the region needs, which means that people from Sherbrooke have to travel to Montreal, if not further, to take a flight anywhere. Population growth is Given the government's categorical refusal to add Sherbrooke to positively correlated to air traffic. For instance, between 1980 and 2000, the the list of designated airports on the one hand and its openness to population in the U.S. grew by 24%, while air traffic grew by 136% over the same providing a mechanism whereby non-designated airports could period. obtain the administration's services on the other, I have questioned Ï (1110) the government on several occasions about how the development of the mechanism that it itself proposed is coming along. —The bottom line here is that the economic benefits of a fully functional airport have been well established. They have been We have heard absolutely nothing since June 2013. Nothing has studied at length and are indisputable. We also have to remember been proposed. No legislative changes have been introduced. That is that not having a functional airport can even result in economic shameful, and that is why I am moving this motion, which calls on losses, because Canadian air travellers will go to U.S. airports near the government to present the mechanism in question to the House as the border. This is a real problem in southern Quebec. soon as possible. There have been a number of studies on this issue, which affects All of the airports that are not currently on the list of 89 airports not only Quebec, but also communities along the Canada-U.S. would benefit. In my opinion, that is the beauty of the proposal border all the way to British Columbia. The Library of Parliament before us today.