Ex-astronaut is our new Transport Minister

[sanjet]

Marc Garneau becomes our new Transport Minister.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada- ... -1.3302743

Someone with actual experience/credibility.

[Gear Jerker]

You beat me to the punch on this one!

Those of you who are longer in the tooth; do you think that this is meaningful, and reason to be optimistic about an increase in funding to TC and/or some changes that are long overdue, or same old same old?

[springlocked]

Someone with actual experience/credibility.

Maybe so and obviously a smart guy but I don't see anything in his background that connects him to civil aviation in canada -- the trick of being a minister is to listen to you deputy minister -- that is the guy who actually runs the show -- how come we don't get news on the shuffle at that level -- this is basically why cabinets can be chosen by demographics -- ministers bow to the PM's office and rely on the deputies to run the department -- they can just turn out to be figure heads and mouth pieces - it's been demonstrated in the past many times -- I hope that this is not the case -- there needs to be a major overhaul of the CARS -- hope he brings a set ---

[Rockie]

I'm extremely hopeful. There's never been a Transport Minister who understands safety or the consequences for lack of safety better than him.

[Gear Jerker]

I'm extremely hopeful. There's never been a Transport Minister who understands safety or the consequences for lack of safety better than him.

My thoughts exactly.

[Gorgons]

From my perspective an ex-truck driver or a railroad engineer could be equally qualified for a transport minister position, hell a bus driver even, transportation is more than airplanes and not the only mode that needs regs overhauled or safety minded people at the reigns.

[Brint]

Having been President of the CSA is perfect prep for the Minister's job. I think it is a great choice.

[leftoftrack]

Was hoping for shortened duty days but that guy use to work for months on end with "rest periods" we're all fucked.

[armchair]

No question Marc Garneau has outstanding credentials and qualified for the job. Question is, is he motivated or disappointed? Media paint his posting as somewhat of a setback because he reportedly would have preferred Foreign Affairs, since he was the foreign affairs critic while in opposition. Foreign Affairs is higher profile than Transport, and Defence is higher profile than Transport as well. Garneau was a Navy Commander before his space odyssey so he would have been equally qualified for that. So yes, for him, Transport is a bit of a bronze medal.

ON next steps, I doubt the CARs will be on the agenda anytime soon. Safety oversight (SMS) has to be up there, and I suspect he will deal with rail and marine before aviation. Love it or hate it, despite our significant problems, our aviation system is somewhat inherently safe due to the multitude of safeguards and so forth. I would suggest that drones may be one agenda on his aviation plate even with all the work done so far on drone safety.

[cdnpilot77]

From my perspective an ex-truck driver or a railroad engineer could be equally qualified for a transport minister position, hell a bus driver even, transportation is more than airplanes and not the only mode that needs regs overhauled or safety minded people at the reigns.

I don't think the vast majority of truck drivers or train engineers would have anywhere near his education or resume. I think Trudeau got this one right....did I say that?

[rigpiggy]

Someone with actual experience/credibility.

Maybe so and obviously a smart guy but I don't see anything in his background that connects him to civil aviation in canada -- the trick of being a minister is to listen to you deputy minister -- that is the guy who actually runs the show --

actually the real job is to set the overall objectives, and choose from the most palatable pile of excrement the DM puts in front of you. obviously the DM at tc.gc.ca has been doing the dog since christ was a cowboy.

[single_swine_herder]

Lets look in on the Deputy Minister of The Department of Transport briefing the new Minister of Transport regarding statements made to the news media which weren't factually correct .....

https://youtu.be/8keZbZL2ero

[Bede]

http://www.thebeaverton.com/national/it ... -transport

[mmm..bacon]

http://www.thebeaverton.com/national/it ... -transport

Hilarious:
Did I ever believe I would get this far? No,” said a wistful Garneau. “Look at me, I’m in control of Canada’s entire bridge infrastructure. After years of thanklessly toiling in space I had forgotten that, sometimes, dreams do come true.”

[Stephen Szikora]

Transport in a big department and everyone seems to think he's their man. His formative career and interests were on the water, not in the air, from sailing to a career in the navy. Then, I read this in a ground transportation paper, "This is obviously a new challenge for him and hopefully he will bring some much-needed attention to transportation and especially trucking as we are the most important [transport mode] in Canada." How much attention aviation will get is still to be seen.

[Meatservo]

It may well be that trucking is the most important form of transportation in Canada. It will be pretty challenging for a politician to make a lot of hay from any trucking-industry issues because they don't haul passengers and are therefore somewhat under the radar compared to aviation. Same goes for marine and rail to a lesser extent. I dare say when the layperson thinks of the Minister of Transportation and what he thinks about when he gets to the office, it's probably aviation that comes to most peoples' minds.

However, I hope Mr. Garneau is able to address all sectors of transportation. I am hopeful that this new tendency for politicians to have portfolios that are consistent with their backgrounds will turn out to be the right thing to do.

[brownbear]

Of course we are skeptical that "good" change will occur with a leadership change. But when I read his resume I felt at least here is someone with some back ground that at least prepares him for the challenges.

[brownbear]

The minster of defense seems like a good choice too. I like the fact he actually wore boots and isn't just a suit.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c ... -1.3304931

[Ypilot]

Mandate letter to Marc Garneau for the next four years as Minister of Transport.

http://pm.gc.ca/eng/minister-transport-mandate-letter

[DanWEC]

Mandate letter to Marc Garneau for the next four years as Minister of Transport.

http://pm.gc.ca/eng/minister-transport-mandate-letter

In particular, I will expect you to work with your colleagues and through established legislative, regulatory, and Cabinet processes to deliver on your top priorities:

Work with the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, who will have the lead, and in consultation with provincial and territorial governments as well as municipalities, to develop and implement an Infrastructure Strategy which will see significant investments made to improve public transit infrastructure and green infrastructure. The Strategy should also improve access to, and governance of, existing infrastructure programs, increase data collection capacity, promote better asset management of infrastructure in Canada and provide better supports for local communities.
Work with the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, who will have the lead, on the delivery of a newly-focused Building Canada Fund which will make greater investments in Canada’s roads, bridges, transportation corridors, ports, and border gateways, helping Canada’s manufacturers get their goods to market.
Propose measures to reinforce railway safety.
Lead, with the support of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food and in the context of responding to the review of the Canada Transportation Act, a full review of the Canadian grain transportation system.
Work with the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to improve marine safety.
Work with the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to review the previous government’s changes to the Fisheries Act and the Navigable Waters Protection Act, restore lost protections, and incorporate modern safeguards.
Formalize a moratorium on crude oil tanker traffic on British Columbia’s North Coast, working in collaboration with the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Minister of Natural Resources and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to develop an approach.
- See more at: http://pm.gc.ca/eng/minister-transport- ... NoplQ.dpuf

Interesting. For hands-on infrastructure issues it sounds like he is second fiddle excluding issues of core transport safety, to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, whom I wasn't even aware existed.

Roads, rail, marine, bridges, public transit, ports, and marine/fisheries. Got 3 of the 4 transportation methods... but NO mention of aviation whatsoever? Must mean the system is perfect!