We can tell you're getting a little experience now, T.J. You go right to the last second.
Thank you very much, Chair.
If I may, the first thing I want to do is respond to my friend Mr. Poilievre in terms of that clunky apparatus he references. For the record, I just want to underscore that it's also known as Canadian democracy. My friend and some of his cronies would privatize the office of the Auditor General, if they had an opportunity.
This question is for Mr. Laplante, to start.
I want to come to the issue that's on page 3 under “Background” of the AG report. Paragraph 10 makes note:
In 1978, VIA became a Crown corporation separate from CN. To date, the Corporation is not governed by any enabling legislation. VIA obtains the funding it needs through its corporate plan, which is approved once a year.
It's my opinion, but I suspect that the biggest behavioural change we need is from the federal government in this instance, that this will be reflected in our report and that there is going to be a priority on it. I don't understand the difference and how it might affect the fact that government has been part of the problem here in not providing enough money and not doing it in a timely fashion.
The notes say that the corporation is not governed by enabling legislation. If we went down that route, with enabling legislation, would it put more pressure on the government to at least have to provide more timely funding announcements, or is it unrelated to anything we're focusing on here?