Madam Chair, the reason I read the letter is because I understand it needs to be translated. That's why I read it. The point of the letter is that it's from an elected city councillor from Knoxdale-Merivale ward, Gord Hunter. Gord Hunter asks John Baird to take the action that he did, and I just want to read the final two paragraphs here. They're very short, so no filibustering, please.
I ask that you support Mr. Gowan's position. It is one that is held by most residents in Ottawa. Three of the four major candidates for the Mayor's job have tested the political wind and come out against the light rail project. Help save the City of Ottawa and withdraw funding support for this project until the City comes up with a plan that makes more sense. It is your right to do so and it is the right thing to do. Respectfully, Gord Hunter
What happened here is precisely right, and I know for Mark Holland, as the MP for Ajax--Pickering, there's a very fierce debate on the ground about Pickering airport, about whether or not that's in the interests of the people of Pickering. So I would like to think that if he were in government again, if this debate were to arise, he could in fact engage this debate, and in fact if a decision were being made by the federal government about Pickering airport at the exact same time, in the middle of a municipal election campaign, and every major candidate for the mayor's chair, every single one of them, wanted to alter the project, an alteration that would require the suspending of the funding from the provincial government, that he would have the same position, which is that the people should be heard on this matter.
With regard to light rail, that's what happened here. The Ethics Commissioner said nothing improper happened. The Treasury Board Secretariat said nothing improper happened. The view of the newly elected city council, and therefore the public, was taken into account, and in a future light rail project, the money that was committed before is still on the table for another project.
Everything that should happen in a democracy happened here, and everything appropriate did happen here.
Madam Chair, you can now go ahead and interrupt me.