Speech (House debate)

{
    "time": "2015-03-31 15:05:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Mr. Andrew Cash (Davenport, NDP)",
        "fr": "M. Andrew Cash (Davenport, NPD)"
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"4032932\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise in this place on behalf of the good people of Davenport in the great city of Toronto to debate a very important bill for the constituents in my riding of Davenport, and that is the bill to amend the Canada Transportation Act and the Railway Safety Act. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032933\" data-originallang=\"en\">What we are talking about here is rail safety. I would like to let people who are watching know that in communities in Toronto, including the community I represent, and in fact, I myself live very close to a major rail artery, every day dangerous goods are carried through. The rail line sort of bisects the city of Toronto, the biggest city in the country. The train that ultimately exploded and led to the tragic events in Lac-M\u00e9gantic actually traversed right through the city of Toronto. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032934\" data-originallang=\"en\">For many people that is a staggering realization, because there are thousands upon thousands of people who live literally metres away from the rail line. For them, the debate we are having is not just a theoretical conversation. It is not just about what happens somewhere else. It is about the very communities in which they live.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032935\" data-originallang=\"en\">It is also important to note while we are debating this that in cities like Toronto which have rail lines criss-crossing and intersecting large areas of residential neighbourhoods, when the rail lines were first put in, many of those communities were not there. They were industrial areas, but development has changed the face of cities like Toronto and what we are seeing now are residential communities very close to rail lines.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032936\" data-originallang=\"en\"> For the people I represent what is in those tankers is very important. How we ensure the safe transport of what is in those tankers is very important to my community and therefore this debate is important. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032937\" data-originallang=\"en\">As many of my esteemed colleagues in the NDP have said today, we are in favour of the bill, but support for the bill underlines some very serious concerns that we have around rail safety in the country. It is not just the NDP that has concerns about rail safety. It is not just members of my community in Davenport that have concerns about rail safety. The Auditor General also has concerns about rail safety. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032938\" data-originallang=\"en\">I know the government always welcomes the views and opinions of the NDP here in the House, but every once in a while it is nice to quote third parties. In this case, I will read a bit of the Auditor General's 2014 report on Transport Canada's oversight of rail safety, because it is the oversight of rail safety, the implementing of a system of safety that the people in my community are looking to the government to achieve. While we support the measures that are in the bill, it does not go any distance toward ameliorating the concerns in my community around rail safety. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032939\" data-originallang=\"en\">The report from the Auditor General really underlines and gives credence to the concerns of the people in Davenport. The report states:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"4032940\" data-originallang=\"en\">Despite the fact that federal railways were required 12 years ago to implement safety management systems for managing their safety risks and complying with safety requirements, Transport Canada has yet to establish an audit approach that provides a minimum level of assurance that federal railways have done so. While it has done a few audits of those systems most of the audits it did were too narrowly focused and provided assurance on only a few aspects of SMSs [safety management systems]. At the rate at which the Department is conducting focused audits, it will take many years to audit all the key components of SMS regulations, including key safety systems of each of the 31 federal railways.</p>\n</blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"4032941\" data-originallang=\"en\"> That is just not enough for the people of Toronto. That is not enough for people of my community of Davenport. This does not cut it. It is going to take years for Transport Canada to conduct the audits. By the time it has finished conducting those audits, hopefully the Conservative government will be long gone and we will have new regulations and new standards for rail safety in this country.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032942\" data-originallang=\"en\">The guidance and tools provided to inspectors for assessing federal railway safety management systems are missing many key elements. That is not us saying this. That is the Auditor General saying this. For example, they contain few requirements to help inspectors plan, conduct and conclude on audits and inspections, and for following up on findings. This makes it difficult for Transport Canada to ensure that its inspections and audits are effective in determining whether railways are taking corrective actions where necessary.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032943\" data-originallang=\"en\">Lastly, Transport Canada does not have a quality assurance plan to continuously improve its oversight of rail safety. Is it any wonder that Canadians from coast to coast to coast are concerned about rail safety? They may be, as we are, happy that there are steps being taken around insurance and compensation, but we need to talk about preventing accidents as well as who pays for them when they happen.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032944\" data-originallang=\"en\">This is not just a case of red tape versus yellow tape. This is not a question of onerous regulations versus caution tape that we use to cordon off accident sites. This should be a matter of course.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032945\" data-originallang=\"en\"> We are transporting dangerous goods in record quantities and record frequencies today. Not only are our regulations not keeping pace with the changes, the government has diminished and stripped away oversight and allowed companies to do the oversight themselves. The Auditor General's report shows that Transport Canada does not have the tools to even oversee the oversight that the companies are charged with implementing.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032946\" data-originallang=\"en\">Most fair-minded people would accept that when rail companies are transporting dangerous goods through municipalities, the municipalities have a right know what is being brought through their cities, not three months later, but before it happens. That is a fair expectation that most people would have, yet we have not had any of that conversation happen among Conservatives.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032947\" data-originallang=\"en\"> I know that in the Province of Ontario, the Ontario NDP has pushed for \u201cright to know\u201d legislation that would enable municipalities to know what was coming through their cities and towns before it came through. This would allow emergency response units and fire crews to at least be properly on guard. It would also allow residents to know what the risks are of what is passing right through their backyards. That is, in fact, literally what happens in Toronto and in my community. It is fair for Canadians to want to know that stuff.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032948\" data-originallang=\"en\"> When we look at the Auditor General's report, we understand the enormity of the deficit in rail safety in this country. It also underscores a massive policy failure with regard to the Conservative government and its unwillingness to nurture the clean energy economy in Canada. The Conservatives are leaving $5 trillion of economic activity in clean energy technology on the table while they continually pump out and transport oil products that clearly do not come with the oversight and safety requirements that they need.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032949\" data-originallang=\"en\">Things like \u201cright to know\u201d legislation are vital for cities like Toronto, where we have neighbourhoods upon neighbourhoods growing and developing right along the rail line. This is not 1920. This is 2015, and we need to pull these regulations and safety requirements up to modern standards.</p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"4032932\" data-originallang=\"en\">Monsieur le Pr\u00e9sident, c'est un honneur pour moi de prendre la parole ici au nom des citoyens de ma circonscription, Davenport, situ\u00e9e dans la magnifique ville de Toronto, pour d\u00e9battre d\u2019un projet de loi tr\u00e8s important pour eux, soit la Loi modifiant la Loi sur les transports au Canada et la Loi sur la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 ferroviaire. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032933\" data-originallang=\"en\">Nous parlons ici de s\u00e9curit\u00e9 ferroviaire. J\u2019aimerais que les gens qui nous regardent sachent que des produits dangereux circulent chaque jour sur des voies ferr\u00e9es qui passent dans des collectivit\u00e9s de Toronto, y compris celle que je repr\u00e9sente. En fait, j'habite tout pr\u00e8s d\u2019une de ces art\u00e8res ferroviaires importantes. Nous pouvons dire que la ligne de chemin de fer s\u00e9pare en deux la ville de Toronto, la plus grosse ville canadienne. Le train qui a fini par exploser et qui a men\u00e9 aux \u00e9v\u00e9nements tragiques de Lac-M\u00e9gantic est pass\u00e9 en plein coeur de Toronto. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032934\" data-originallang=\"en\">La situation est renversante pour beaucoup de gens, parce qu\u2019il y a des milliers et des milliers de gens qui vivent litt\u00e9ralement \u00e0 quelques m\u00e8tres du chemin de fer. Pour eux, le d\u00e9bat que nous avons n\u2019est pas une simple question th\u00e9orique. Il ne s\u2019agit pas de parler seulement de ce qui se passe ailleurs, mais de ce qui se passe dans leurs propres milieux de vie.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032935\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Pendant que nous d\u00e9battons ici, il importe d\u2019observer que les lignes de chemins de fer qui sillonnent de grands secteurs r\u00e9sidentiels de villes comme Toronto \u00e9taient bien souvent en place avant que les quartiers se d\u00e9veloppent. Ces lignes ont \u00e9t\u00e9 install\u00e9es dans des secteurs industriels, mais le d\u00e9veloppement a chang\u00e9 l\u2019allure de villes comme Toronto et nous voyons aujourd\u2019hui des quartiers r\u00e9sidentiels tr\u00e8s proches de lignes ferroviaires.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032936\" data-originallang=\"en\">Ce qui est transport\u00e9 dans ces wagons-citernes est tr\u00e8s important pour les gens que je repr\u00e9sente. La fa\u00e7on s\u00fbre de transporter le contenu de ces wagons-citernes est tr\u00e8s importante pour ma collectivit\u00e9 et ce d\u00e9bat l\u2019est donc \u00e9galement. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032937\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Comme plusieurs de mes estim\u00e9s coll\u00e8gues du NPD l\u2019ont dit aujourd\u2019hui, nous sommes favorables au projet de loi mais notre appui s\u2019accompagne de pr\u00e9occupations tr\u00e8s s\u00e9rieuses sur la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 ferroviaire au pays. Le NPD n\u2019est pas le seul \u00e0 s\u2019inqui\u00e9ter de la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 ferroviaire. Les gens de ma circonscription ne sont pas les seuls \u00e0 se pr\u00e9occuper de cela non plus. Le v\u00e9rificateur g\u00e9n\u00e9ral a \u00e9galement formul\u00e9 des pr\u00e9occupations \u00e0 ce sujet. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032938\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le gouvernement est toujours heureux d\u2019entendre les points de vue du NPD ici, \u00e0 la Chambre, je le sais, mais, de temps \u00e0 autre, il vaut la peine de citer des tierces parties. Je vais lire un petit bout du rapport du v\u00e9rificateur g\u00e9n\u00e9ral de 2014 sur Transports Canada concernant la surveillance de la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 ferroviaire, parce que les gens de ma collectivit\u00e9 veulent que le gouvernement s\u2019occupe de la surveillance de la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 ferroviaire et mette en place un syst\u00e8me de gestion de la s\u00e9curit\u00e9. Nous appuyons les mesures contenues dans le projet de loi, mais celles-ci ne suffisent pas \u00e0 r\u00e9pondre aux pr\u00e9occupations des gens de ma collectivit\u00e9. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032939\" data-originallang=\"en\">Dans son rapport, le v\u00e9rificateur g\u00e9n\u00e9ral fait v\u00e9ritablement \u00e9cho aux pr\u00e9occupations des gens de Davenport. Il d\u00e9clare ce qui suit:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"4032940\" data-originallang=\"en\">M\u00eame si cela fait 12 ans que les compagnies de chemin de fer de comp\u00e9tence f\u00e9d\u00e9rale doivent mettre en \u0153uvre des syst\u00e8mes de gestion de la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 pour g\u00e9rer leurs risques li\u00e9s \u00e0 la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 et respecter les exigences en mati\u00e8re de s\u00e9curit\u00e9, Transports Canada n\u2019a pas encore \u00e9tabli d\u2019approche de v\u00e9rification permettant d\u2019obtenir une assurance minimale que les compagnies de chemin de fer de comp\u00e9tence f\u00e9d\u00e9rale ont respect\u00e9 cette exigence et g\u00e9r\u00e9 leurs risques. Le minist\u00e8re a men\u00e9 quelques v\u00e9rifications de ces syst\u00e8mes, mais la plupart d\u2019entre elles \u00e9taient de port\u00e9e trop limit\u00e9e et ont fourni une assurance sur seulement quelques aspects de ceux-ci. \u00c9tant donn\u00e9 le rythme auquel le minist\u00e8re m\u00e8ne les v\u00e9rifications cibl\u00e9es, il faudra plusieurs ann\u00e9es pour v\u00e9rifier l\u2019ensemble des aspects cl\u00e9s de la r\u00e9glementation sur les syst\u00e8mes de gestion de la s\u00e9curit\u00e9, y compris les syst\u00e8mes de s\u00e9curit\u00e9 cl\u00e9s de chacune des 31 compagnies de chemin de fer de comp\u00e9tence f\u00e9d\u00e9rale. </p>\n</blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"4032941\" data-originallang=\"en\">C'est tout simplement insuffisant pour les gens de Toronto. C'est insuffisant pour les gens de ma circonscription, Davenport. Ce n'est pas suffisant. Transports Canada mettra des ann\u00e9es \u00e0 effectuer les v\u00e9rifications. Lorsqu'elles seront termin\u00e9es, esp\u00e9rons que le gouvernement conservateur sera parti depuis longtemps et que le pays se dotera d'une nouvelle r\u00e9glementation et de nouvelles normes en mati\u00e8re de s\u00e9curit\u00e9 ferroviaire.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032942\" data-originallang=\"en\">Il manque de nombreux \u00e9l\u00e9ments cl\u00e9s aux instructions et outils dont disposent les inspecteurs pour \u00e9valuer les syst\u00e8mes de gestion de la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 des compagnies de chemin de fer de comp\u00e9tence f\u00e9d\u00e9rale. Ce n'est pas nous qui l'affirmons, c'est le v\u00e9rificateur g\u00e9n\u00e9ral. Par exemple, ils contiennent peu d\u2019exigences pour aider les inspecteurs \u00e0 planifier et mener des v\u00e9rifications et des inspections, \u00e0 pr\u00e9senter des conclusions et \u00e0 assurer le suivi des constatations. Transports Canada a, par cons\u00e9quent, du mal \u00e0 s\u2019assurer que ses inspections et v\u00e9rifications sont efficaces pour d\u00e9terminer si les compagnies de chemin de fer prennent des mesures correctives quand cela s\u2019av\u00e8re n\u00e9cessaire.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032943\" data-originallang=\"en\">En terminant, Transports Canada ne dispose pas d'un plan d'assurance de la qualit\u00e9 pour am\u00e9liorer de fa\u00e7on continue sa surveillance de la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 ferroviaire. Est-il \u00e9tonnant que les Canadiens d'un oc\u00e9an \u00e0 l'autre soient pr\u00e9occup\u00e9s par la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 ferroviaire? Ils sont peut-\u00eatre, comme nous, heureux que des mesures soient prises \u00e0 l'\u00e9gard de l'assurance et de l'indemnisation, mais nous devons parler de la pr\u00e9vention des accidents et d\u00e9terminer qui assume les co\u00fbts d'\u00e9ventuels accidents.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032944\" data-originallang=\"en\">Il ne s'agit pas ici de d\u00e9terminer s'il vaut mieux adopter des r\u00e8glements contraignants ou attendre qu'un accident arrive. Cela devrait aller de soi.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032945\" data-originallang=\"en\">Nous transportons des marchandises dangereuses en quantit\u00e9s records et \u00e0 un rythme effr\u00e9n\u00e9. Non seulement nos r\u00e8glements ne suivent pas les changements, mais le gouvernement a r\u00e9duit et \u00e9limin\u00e9 la surveillance et permis aux soci\u00e9t\u00e9s de s'autosurveiller. Il ressort du rapport du v\u00e9rificateur g\u00e9n\u00e9ral que Transports Canada n'a m\u00eame pas les outils pour surveiller les activit\u00e9s de surveillance auxquelles les soci\u00e9t\u00e9s sont assujetties.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032946\" data-originallang=\"en\">La plupart des gens objectifs seraient d'accord pour dire que les municipalit\u00e9s ont le droit de savoir \u2014 pas trois mois plus tard, mais au pr\u00e9alable \u2014 quelles marchandises les compagnies de chemin de fer font passer sur leur territoire. C'est une attente justifi\u00e9e que la plupart des gens ont, mais les conservateurs n'en ont pas encore discut\u00e9.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032947\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je sais qu'en Ontario, les d\u00e9put\u00e9s provinciaux n\u00e9o-d\u00e9mocrates ont pr\u00e9sent\u00e9 un projet de loi sur le droit de savoir qui permettrait aux conseils municipaux de savoir d'avance quelles marchandises traverseront la municipalit\u00e9. Cela permettrait aux unit\u00e9s d'intervention en cas d'urgence et aux \u00e9quipes de lutte contre les incendies d'\u00eatre vigilants. Cela permettrait \u00e9galement aux r\u00e9sidants de conna\u00eetre les dangers que pr\u00e9sentent les marchandises qui passent derri\u00e8re chez eux. Sans exag\u00e9rer, c'est exactement ce qui se passe \u00e0 Toronto et dans ma circonscription. Il n'est pas d\u00e9raisonnable pour les Canadiens de vouloir savoir cela.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032948\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le rapport du v\u00e9rificateur g\u00e9n\u00e9ral nous permet de mieux cerner l'ampleur des lacunes du r\u00e9gime de s\u00e9curit\u00e9 ferroviaire au Canada. Il fait \u00e9galement ressortir l'\u00e9chec monumental de la politique du gouvernement conservateur et son manque de volont\u00e9 de favoriser l'\u00e9conomie ax\u00e9e sur l'\u00e9nergie propre au Canada. Les conservateurs renoncent \u00e0 une activit\u00e9 \u00e9conomique de 5 billions de dollars que repr\u00e9sente le secteur de la technologie de l'\u00e9nergie propre tout en continuant d'extraire des produits p\u00e9troliers du sol et de les exp\u00e9dier sans disposer des exigences en mati\u00e8re de surveillance et de s\u00e9curit\u00e9 qui s'imposent.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4032949\" data-originallang=\"en\">Des mesures comme la loi sur le \u00ab droit de savoir \u00bb sont essentielles pour des municipalit\u00e9s comme Toronto, dont d'innombrables nouveaux quartiers se cr\u00e9ent sans cesse le long du chemin de fer. Nous ne sommes pas en 1920. Nous sommes en 2015, et il faut absolument moderniser les r\u00e8glements et exigences en mati\u00e8re de s\u00e9curit\u00e9 afin qu'ils r\u00e9pondent aux normes actuelles.</p>"
    },
    "url": "/debates/2015/3/31/andrew-cash-3/",
    "politician_url": "/politicians/andrew-cash/",
    "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/4075/",
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "8639756",
    "h1": {
        "en": "Government Orders",
        "fr": "Initiatives Minist\u00e9rielles"
    },
    "h2": {
        "en": "Safe and Accountable Rail Act",
        "fr": "Loi sur la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 et l'imputabilit\u00e9 en mati\u00e8re ferroviaire"
    },
    "document_url": "/debates/2015/3/31/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fdebates%2F2015%2F3%2F31%2F"
    }
}