The federal government is reviewing the certification of the Boeing 737 MAX with an eye to changing the process to ensure a more thorough Canadian-based vetting of new aircraft. The House of Commons Transport Committee is considering a motion to hold four meetings to look at “the nature of Transport Canada’s relationship to the Federal Aviation Administration and other certifying bodies, as well as the role of airplane manufacturers in the airplane certification process.” The MAX certification was based mostly on FAA recommendations and investigations in the U.S. have revealed flaws in that process.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Marc Garneau has already announced there will be changes to certification in Canada.“We are making changes to improve the rigour of our validation system,” Amy Butcher, a spokeswoman for Transport Minister Marc Garneau told the Globe and Mail. She said the new process will involve a system of checks and balances in Transport Canada’s relationship with the FAA. “These new practices will continue moving forward and also evolve as we continue to review the system as a whole,” she said.