Thank you very much.
As a grain farmer I've heard a lot of this, and of course, you've no doubt heard the testimony. I can assure you the government has heard it as well.
There are just a couple of things that I had heard in your testimony. I believe, Mr. Miller, you're saying that if the government were to make incentives then you might be able to solve this particular problem. There are incentives, but there is also the other side of that as well. I'm not quite sure what you were thinking about at that particular point in time if this is a way to help move more grain because a person has to take a look from your shareholders' point of view as to what they're making at this point in time and what else is expected of you.
I guess there's an opportunity for you to start looking at movement through Thunder Bay, perhaps as soon as it gets warm enough there. Maybe grain companies have to start taking a look at that as an option if you feel that you can't move this particular bottleneck.
I have a couple of questions that I wanted to go through. The first having to do with the grain elevator network. As a farmer I used to be able to haul six or seven loads a day into a small elevator and as soon as we got the big ones, it was down to about four because of the length of time that I was sitting there and the times at which we'd be asked to come and haul.
There was another comment earlier that says you have to take a look at what is happening as the farmers get the grain to the elevators and the prompt loading on placement. I think you're going to find, and I think you have found, that the elevators have their act together because they're running all night. They're going all Sunday. They're going to have those trains ready for you and this is the frustration that they have at this point in time because when there are expected car spots they're not getting them. Of course, it backs up and it's an issue that we have to concern ourselves with.
I guess the other aspect is taking a look at what your operations are like as far as the U.S. is concerned and some of the circumstances that exist there. In the U.S. we're looking at tariff orders, private contracts, long-term guaranteed freight, and short-term guaranteed freight. I believe someone had talked about a market-based demand and supply with respect to those particular items.
When we look at the idea of reciprocal incentives and penalties as far as your freight contracts with American shippers are concerned, could you tell me whether or not that has improved, the reliability and predictability?
You are two of seven class-one railways in the U.S. and you have had significant support from the Government of Canada over a number of years. I'm wondering if you feel that you should perhaps provide at least the same level of service to Canadian shippers despite the lack of competition in the Canadian rail market. I'd like you to talk a little bit about the competition side of it as well.
Thank you.