Air Safety at Risk: Thanks to Conservative Cuts
Mandatory Air Safety Inspections Skipped due to Lack of Federal Inspectors
October 1, 2012
OTTAWA – Reckless Conservative cuts are putting travelling Canadians at risk. Cuts to air safety programs, under-staffed federal air safety inspection teams and reduced airport security personnel. NDP Transport Critic Olivia Chow demands the Conservatives’ response to the Auditor General’s findings.
Transcript:
Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity—Spadina, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, Conservatives’ budget cuts to airline safety are putting Canadians at risk. The Auditor General reported one out of three air safety inspections were not being done because there were not enough inspectors to do the job. The Conservatives plan to cut another $9 million from aviation safety programs in the coming year. These cuts would increase the safety risk of Canadian air passengers. How does the minister justify these risky cuts when air traffic is increasing?
Hon. Denis Lebel (Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, that is false. We do not have cuts in inspectors. Security and safety are very important.
Mr. Robert Aubin (Trois-Rivières, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, considering the relevance of the minister’s answers, I must insist.
Last spring, the Auditor General was clear: the civil aviation inspection system contains some serious flaws, and Transport Canada has no plan to improve its monitoring program. These flaws could put the safety of millions of travellers at risk. What is the Conservatives’ solution? To cut Transport Canada’s budget even further. It is completely absurd and, frankly, very, very dangerous.
Can the Conservatives explain to us how cutting services will translate into enhanced safety for passengers?
Hon. Denis Lebel (Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, those statements are completely unfounded and are meant to scare people, which the NDP has a tendency to do.
Aviation safety is extremely important to our government. We are regarded as a model in many parts of the world. Many organizations, such as the pilots association and COPA, praise the Canadian system. We do not want to engage in fearmongering, but rather to find solutions. That is what we are doing.
