Evidence of meeting #46 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was employees.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:25 p.m.
Senior Vice-President, Western Region, Canadian National
I think Mr. Rhodes is entitled to his opinion. I don't share it.
4:25 p.m.
Vice-President, Operations, Eastern Region, Canadian National
The culture we have at CN is to move the traffic in a safe manner. That's the culture we want. And we do not....
I'm not sure, just as Peter said, where the witnesses got their facts and figures. I read their testimony and I'm not sure. I'm not here to debate what their testimony was. But I'll tell you that we're here as a company to move traffic safely. That's why it's one of our five. There is no economic sense for us to run an unsafe railway at CN, absolutely none.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
So you're challenging the testimony of someone who almost lost his life and whose two friends died in that very same accident.
4:30 p.m.
Vice-President, Operations, Eastern Region, Canadian National
That's not what I said.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
4:30 p.m.
Vice-President, Operations, Eastern Region, Canadian National
That's not what I said. I said I'm not sure where his testimony came from.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Gentlemen, thanks for coming.
We're talking about two audit reports--one that followed the first one that the previous government initiated, to which you responded, as I understand, and then a subsequent audit, which is the one that Mr. Fast was referring to.
You accepted those findings, as I understand it. Am I right?
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Did you get an opportunity to respond to the first one? It was a draft report.
4:30 p.m.
Senior Vice-President, Western Region, Canadian National
There is a process, and again, it's an ongoing process, an evolution. The safety management system is still a relatively new framework that the industry--
4:30 p.m.
Senior Vice-President, Western Region, Canadian National
Yes. We're part of the industry, we support it, and we participate.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
--especially since you agreed with the draft report that set it up.
4:30 p.m.
Senior Vice-President, Western Region, Canadian National
I'm not sure what the question is.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
You accept the safety management system because you were part of setting it up.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
There are a couple of things I find fascinating.
I spoke to one of your representatives a few months ago. The minister, in a televised program, indicated that you as the corporation were preventing him from releasing the audit to which Mr. Fast made reference. Is that true?
4:30 p.m.
Senior Vice-President, Western Region, Canadian National
No. Absolutely no.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
4:30 p.m.
Senior Vice-President, Western Region, Canadian National
We felt that we had an opportunity, and it was important for our information to be accurately reflected in the audit. We do not--
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
You wanted an opportunity to make sure that it was an accurate reflection--
