Transport committee  Yes.

Transport committee  If you look at the numbers, the statistics show that injuries in this company have gone down consistently over the past five years.

Transport committee  The process itself.

Transport committee  The process itself requires that the officers spend their time interacting with employees and ensuring that we have rules of compliance in the field. Prior to the system and the process being implemented, officers were free to stay in offices. Officers felt the job they had to do was in an office behind a computer, instead of on the ground with the employees where the work is actually occurring.

Transport committee  Let's step back for a second. This company has gone through a tremendous amount of change. It's not a secret. Certainly we're focused on productivity and delivering service. As a result of the changes since privatization of this company, if we're guilty of any one thing over the previous years--and I'm responsible to a point--we pay for the sins of our predecessors.

Transport committee  No.

Transport committee  I can't make that assessment. I can just tell you what I've dealt with in the past five years. I've been an integral part of trying to change this culture. I'll take you back. I came to Canada in 2002. I came off a position in Michigan. I've been in operations my entire career.

Transport committee  They're different. To take the standards of FRA versus the standards of Transport Canada, in some cases--and I've worked on both sides of the border--I would agree, Transport Canada's regulations may be superior. Likewise, if I go to the FRA and I look at some pieces of the FRA, they're superior standards.

Transport committee  Absolutely.

Transport committee  With all due respect, the testimony that I've read from the witnesses who have presented to this committee is anecdotal evidence. There are no specific issues, and in fact the testimony that I read stated “they heard of this”, “they heard of these things”, “they heard of these rumours”.

Transport committee  There is no way to justify it. Number one, we would not accept it, but at the same time, we have no evidence of it other than anecdotal employees in these audits. In a very uncontrolled environment people went out and questioned employees. We're talking about a workforce that has gone through--

Transport committee  Well, 75% of the time or 100% of the time...if we knew that occurred, we would take corrective measures with it. That is not something we would tolerate.

Transport committee  If I could elaborate for just a minute, you have to take in context, number one, that the improvement in 2006 versus 2005 represented about a 30% reduction in main-track accidents. Granted, if you compare year-to-date 2007 numbers versus 2006 numbers, you would think, if you don't understand the data, that there may be an issue.

Transport committee  No, no, I understand.

Transport committee  I understand the concerns and perceptions, but I'm very confident that when Canadians look at the facts they understand that the severe winter weather we just went through, 100-year type of weather, would have an impact on some of the circumstances that caused some of these derailments.