Ladies & Gentlemen: We understand that the Bloc is proposing an amendment to put the "which will apply equally to all" phrase in Bill C-8. The CRS group has sent the following message to TRAN requesting that this amendment be voted down. If there is anything you can do on this matter to retain the wording of Bill C-8 as has been discussed over the past weeks, that would be appreciated. The CRS group have agreed not to oppose the amendment that the government will propose, but this Bloc amendment is strongly opposed by the shipper community.
In fact it goes on to say to the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, from Bob Ballantyne:
We recently learned of a proposed amendment to Bill C-8, specifically to clause 7 by the replacement of line 5 on page 5 with: "which apply equally to all of them". Please be advised that the Coalition of Rail Shippers, representing 80% of the Canadian revenues of CN and CPR, has the strongest possible objection to this amendment as it would serve to defeat the effectiveness of the multi-party FOA provision which is critically important to the rail shipper community.
And it goes on.
In essence, they are very much opposed to it for the same reasons the department is: it would restrict the ability of people to receive the remedies suggested.