Thank you very much for your comments.
At the outset, let me say that I share the principles you put forward. I think we unanimously, on all sides of the House, want to see this industry grow. We all wish to see Canada become competitive.
I won't go into the initiatives we've taken over the last several months, but let me say at the outset that I am in complete agreement with you. The railway industry is thriving and prospering well. Both CPR and CN—pursuant, of course, to its privatization and commercialization—have been able to successfully continue their growth rate and become part of a larger marketplace, and certainly leaders in that marketplace in North America.
This having been said, of course, our concern—and your concern, as I understand it—is to make sure that our producers, with the shippers, are able to get the products to where they have to be so that they remain competitive. I think we're all in agreement with that.
Your first question wondered, why not do the service review now, rather than put it off for 30 days. It's my view, Mr. Volpe, that it's important that we get this legislation passed and that we focus on the piece of legislation. My officials have already begun preliminary discussions and laid the table, but we don't want to get off track. We want to make sure that once this is done we'll be able to focus all our attention on the service review.
It's precisely for that reason that we've decided to proceed in this manner. First things first: we get the piece of legislation through; then we settle the service review.
Regarding the second issue, the shutdown of lines, I'll ask Helena Borges to address it.