Transport committee  Thank you. From what we've seen, this is a commonality among PPP projects. The timelines get more extended than originally thought. As the other speaker mentioned, the U.S. is an example of very long delays on HSR and HFR. I think there is sometimes a difference in Europe or locations where there is a stronger control of state-led companies.

Transport committee  I'll pass it on to Joel to respond to that.

Transport committee  I will say that they have a unique record. It's a pattern, I think, with many other companies. What I think is sometimes shocking for us to see is the difference between how they operate in their home countries, where they're often publicly owned and state-led—Keolis being one example that is one of the bidders here—and how they operate abroad, including in North America, in the U.S. and Canada, where Keolis has a large presence.

Transport committee  That's a very good question. I think there's a similar pattern to what we've seen with other governments around the world. There is this idea that by doing a public-private partnership it's going to be less expensive for a government budget and the government will not ultimately be responsible for it.

Transport committee  The evidence is they end up paying more. I think the example of the U.K. may be one of the most tangible for us to see. After 30 years of rail privatization and public-private partnership projects all over its rail system, it's now one of the most expensive rails in Europe, not just to operate but for the passengers.

Transport committee  Thank you very much. Good afternoon to members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to present ITF's testimony in this important study. The International Transport Workers' Federation is a global trade union federation comprising 700 affiliated trade unions from 153 countries, including, in Canada, our rail affiliates, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and Unifor Canada, from which my colleague Joel Kennedy is here today.