Hon. Shirley Martin (Minister of State (TVansport)):

Madam Speaker, for the last year or more, as the hon. member knows, there have been problems in the airline industry around the world, not just in Canada. There has been a downturn in the airline industries and in the tourist industry across the world.

For the last year our Canadian companies have been working very hard, especially the employees at Canadian Airlines who have done so much to help put their company back on the rails. They are working hard. Hearings are going on at the present time, as the hon. member knows, to try and come up with solutions in the private sector for the airline industry in Canada.

Mrs. Martin:

Maybe they should be looking at some of the rivers for shipping also.

Hon. Shirley Martin (Minister of State (TVansport)):

Madam Speaker, the hon. member is making an assumption that grain will move by truck. He forgets that we have a seaway which is very environmentally sound that moves a lot of grain in this country as well. The environmental impact of the trucking-

April 2, 1993

Routine Proceedings

Mrs. Martin (for the Minister of Transport) moved

that the bill be read the third time and passed.

She said: Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present for third reading Bill C-83, an act respecting the transportation of goods by water. This act is intended to modernize Canadian legislation concerned with the rules of liability and compensation for damage or loss of goods during carriage by water.

The new act will make Canada's shipping laws more consistent with those of its trading partners.

I would like to thank the members of the Standing Committee on Transport for their consideration of this bill, the specific amendments which they proposed and which clarify certain aspects of the new legislation.

Hon. Shirley Martin (for the Minister of Transport) moved

that Bill C-83, an act respecting the transportation of goods by water, as amended, be concurred in.

Motion agreed to.