Federal transport minister David Collenette has been cleared of
opposition charges that he violated the Canada Transportation Act by
failing to table in Parliament a report on activities of the grain
handling system monitor.
Legislation approved last year authorizing the hiring of a monitor for
the grain system requires the minister to table a report in Parliament
after each crop year ends.
Canadian Alliance transport critic James Moore said the deadline for
the 2000-01 year expired Feb. 28 and he accused Collenette of being in
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contempt of Parliament.
Last week, speaker Peter Milliken ruled otherwise.
He agreed with arguments by the transport minister and government House
leader Ralph Goodale that a report need not be tabled because all the
intricacies of the legislative procedure have not been triggered.
“In the absence of such regulations and given the rather clear language
of the act on that very precise point, I must find that the minister is
not obligated to table the report,” said Milliken.
He thanked Moore for his “vigilance” in trying to make sure the
government lives by the terms of its own legislation.
A finding against Collenette would have sent the issue to a committee
where opposition MPs could try to unearth some details embarrassing to
the government.
Canadian Alliance officials say they believe a report to government
actually has been submitted by Quorum Corp., hired by the government to
monitor the performance of the system.
They suggest it has not been presented to Parliament because of a
dispute between government departments over the monitor’s conclusions,
possibly connected to the Canadian Wheat Board’s role in last year’s
struggle between the board, the railways and the grain companies over
the rail car tendering system.
