Transport committee  I think in the event that we were to have a high-speed rail system in this country, there would need to be really strong linkages and connectivity at each stop. That is to say that whether it's Union Station in Toronto or Gare Centrale in Montreal, or any other city, that needs to be the hub.

Transport committee  I'm familiar with it in general, but not specifically with the details.

Transport committee  I couldn't tell you, because quite honestly, the concept of long-distance intercity transport, which high-speed rail is, lies outside of our mandate as an urban and regional transit association.

Transport committee  That's possible.

Transport committee  What I can tell you in that regard is that I don't recall CUTA being consulted in those previous studies.

Transport committee  High-speed rail is an evolving phenomenon that began in Japan many years ago and was then developed in Europe, initially in France, then in Germany and Spain, now Italy, connecting to places in Belgium and the U.K. through the Chunnel. Now Korea's developing one. They're talking about it in many countries because it's a great way of bringing people together fast.

Transport committee  Our position is clear. There is a strong link between investing in high speed trains and local and regional mass transit. If we do not have the means to do both, local transit is at a greater advantage throughout the country, in small-size cities and larger ones. For instance, it is rather unlikely that a high-speed train would stop in small towns with populations of 20 000, 50 000 or 100,000.

Transport committee  It is the same choice. For long distances, we have to decide whether to invest in highways or rail transportation, and for short distances, whether to invest in city highways or public transit.

Transport committee  There's no question in my mind that, technically, electricity is the best energy source for moving vehicles that start and stop or that travel really fast. The question is whether that electricity is generated on board or comes from elsewhere. The hybrid buses, for example, generate their own electricity on board through a diesel or natural gas engine and store it in batteries and recover it when the vehicle brakes.

Transport committee  We must ensure long-term funding of public transit before thinking about a fast train. Without a healthy, well-funded and efficient network, we will not get the best advantage from the fast train. In France, the TGV runs between Paris, Lyon and Bordeaux; in Germany, between Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin; in Spain, between Barcelona, Madrid and Cordoba.

Transport committee  If you look at the proportion of the Canadian public impacted by a high-speed train, between Montreal and Toronto, or Quebec and Windsor, or Calgary and Edmonton, I do not know what kind of impact a cost-benefit analysis would reveal. It's a matter of balance. Personally, I would like to do both.

Transport committee  You are putting some excellent questions. Thank you. We have just completed nine months of work on visioning the future, on trying to get a sense of what Canadian communities will look like in 30 years, and how public transport, particularly local community and regional transportation, can best serve those needs.

Transport committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the opportunity to be here today to comment about the complex issue of high-speed rail in Canada. I say complex because in order for high-speed rail to be a successful initiative in this country there are really several factors to consider.

Finance committee  I think the needs vary a lot from place to place, depending on the size of the community. I think what's important with investments like this is that they be equitable across the country so that there is the right amount of money available for big metropolitan areas like Montreal and Toronto but also the right amount for a small community like Whitehorse, which needs another bus.

Finance committee  That's true, all the more so since now that the Canadian dollar is at par with the American dollar, there is a move to export jobs to the United States in order to be more competitive with that country. There is also the operational part of the equation. In order to provide urban transit to our cities, we have to hire drivers and mechanics locally.