The 53 sites in question are stations that are not being used. Forty-two had not been used for more than two years, and 39 had not been used for three years. This is not a spur-of-the-moment decision. One of the criteria is site use. Do people order cars for these stations?
Once more, I would repeat, and, as a Quebecker, you will surely appreciate this... I am sure you are aware that a train was derailed last year in Montmagny due to a switch. The switch had been maintained, but it had unfortunately broken. If there is no service and no cars ordered, it is important for us to know if a switch has to be maintained. That is our way of managing risk. I want to be very clear: for all 53 sites, we did the work and we published the notice in the newspapers, but we also talked to the communities. We told them that the sites were not being used, and asked them if they knew anybody who wanted to load cars there. The answer was no. We decided to wait 60 to 90 days in case people showed an interest.
Once again, if, tomorrow morning, somebody wants to negotiate with us in good faith about these sites, we will sit down with them and we will not remove the switches on January 1 if negotiations are under way. We continually look at our sites to ensure that they are both viable and safe. Railway workers know that it is risky to keep a switch that has not been used for two years on a main line. We have to manage this risk so that cars do not derail. You have to understand that if a switch is not used for two years and a 100-car freight train derails, it could cost millions of dollars. And the dangers for the environment and the surrounding communities are no laughing matter.