As you probably know, I have a very cordial relationship with Mr. Scarpaleggia. We find ourselves more often than not on the same side of issues. It's a long-standing relationship that I value. That said, unfortunately I don't think I can speak in favour of this motion for a couple of reasons.
First, there is a process currently in the works that will give us a revised museums policy. The difficulty I have with this motion in that context is that we don't know what the museums policy will say. Of my own accord, and not speaking on behalf of the government, I have been pushing an initiative with the minister for a process by which we can define national significance.
This is relevant to the two railway museums in my constituency: the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel, and the Revelstoke Railway Museum. If we're talking about taking a specific amount of money and having the funds go to Exporail in Montreal, what does that do for museums that happen to be in my constituency, the museum in Squamish, or other museums without a definition of national significance?
Therefore, as much as I have a tremendous amount of empathy for what Mr. Scarpaleggia is trying to do, and a tremendous amount of respect for Exporail in Montreal, this becomes a satellite with no place to go. It becomes an object. I don't have a clue where this motion would fit in. At some point in the future it has to fit into a national museums policy containing a mechanism to define national significance.
Therefore my recommendation to my colleagues is that, regrettably, we vote against the motion, and I would recommend that for the consideration of my colleagues on the other side.