Evidence of meeting #46 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was employees.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:25 p.m.
Senior Vice-President, Western Region, Canadian National
I think Mr. Rhodes is entitled to his opinion. I don't share it.
4:25 p.m.
Vice-President, Operations, Eastern Region, Canadian National
The culture we have at CN is to move the traffic in a safe manner. That's the culture we want. And we do not....
I'm not sure, just as Peter said, where the witnesses got their facts and figures. I read their testimony and I'm not sure. I'm not here to debate what their testimony was. But I'll tell you that we're here as a company to move traffic safely. That's why it's one of our five. There is no economic sense for us to run an unsafe railway at CN, absolutely none.
April 25th, 2007 / 4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
So you're challenging the testimony of someone who almost lost his life and whose two friends died in that very same accident.
4:30 p.m.
Vice-President, Operations, Eastern Region, Canadian National
That's not what I said.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
4:30 p.m.
Vice-President, Operations, Eastern Region, Canadian National
That's not what I said. I said I'm not sure where his testimony came from.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Gentlemen, thanks for coming.
We're talking about two audit reports--one that followed the first one that the previous government initiated, to which you responded, as I understand, and then a subsequent audit, which is the one that Mr. Fast was referring to.
You accepted those findings, as I understand it. Am I right?
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Did you get an opportunity to respond to the first one? It was a draft report.
4:30 p.m.
Senior Vice-President, Western Region, Canadian National
There is a process, and again, it's an ongoing process, an evolution. The safety management system is still a relatively new framework that the industry--
4:30 p.m.
Senior Vice-President, Western Region, Canadian National
Yes. We're part of the industry, we support it, and we participate.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
--especially since you agreed with the draft report that set it up.
4:30 p.m.
Senior Vice-President, Western Region, Canadian National
I'm not sure what the question is.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
You accept the safety management system because you were part of setting it up.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
There are a couple of things I find fascinating.
I spoke to one of your representatives a few months ago. The minister, in a televised program, indicated that you as the corporation were preventing him from releasing the audit to which Mr. Fast made reference. Is that true?
4:30 p.m.
Senior Vice-President, Western Region, Canadian National
No. Absolutely no.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
4:30 p.m.
Senior Vice-President, Western Region, Canadian National
We felt that we had an opportunity, and it was important for our information to be accurately reflected in the audit. We do not--
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
You wanted an opportunity to make sure that it was an accurate reflection--
