WINNIPEG — If the trucking lobbyists of Canada want to persuade Steven Harper that Transport Canada should mandate the use of electronic onboard recorders or anti-rollover technology, they should know that the Canadian government is in an anti-regulation mood; not pro.

What that means, Minister of State for Transport Steven Fletcher told the annual general meeting of the Manitoba Trucking Association (MTA) Tuesday, was that they should help him find regulations to cut back on at the same time as they lobby for other new regs.

In fact, Fletcher told the group, he has been tasked with coming up with a streamlining plan for Transport Canada. When he says streamlining, he means “reducing the regulatory burden.”

He said he has asked the trucking industry for suggestions on which regulations they want cut and, he told the group, he heard that “they wanted more. And that goes against my grain.”

“You guys aren’t helping me out,” Fletcher said.

The way to “win the Ottawa game,” Fletcher said is to “be the minister that brings the most regulations to get out of the system not to add more.“

Fletcher also told the group that his department is working with all the provinces for reciprocity agreements in an effort to harmonize industry regulations from coast to coast.