Thank you, Chair.
I've been listening with great interest to both members of the NDP and the member of the Liberal Party. I've been here now for, I guess, a little over two years, and it's quite striking how the NDP never finds a way to rise above their partisanship and wants to play cheap political games with one of the greatest tragedies that ever happened in Canada.
The fact of that matter is that the scene of the tragedy at Lac-Mégantic is currently a crime scene. There are a number of investigations, including a couple of criminal investigations, currently under way. The NDP talks about recommendations from prior rail disasters. Those recommendations are quite clear. They're available to anyone who wants to read them. There's no need to have a committee to reread what is already in black and white. They should use their time to read those themselves. We at this committee, however, should be waiting for the final results of investigations that will transpire in Lac-Mégantic.
We cannot afford at this point in time to hinder any investigation occurring right now at Lac-Mégantic. We cannot afford to take the experts who are currently invested in this crime scene away from that. We have a very limited number of these kinds of people who have these investigative skills in this country, and they are doing their utmost, some of them working without sleep, to conduct this work. It is imperative, an obligation of elected political officials, to wait for the investigation and to wait for the results and the recommendations that transpire from these various investigations.
Now is not the time to be studying—I see Mr. Nantel finds some humour in this, but I fail to see any humour whatsoever—but to let the proper authorities do so. We must have respect for not only the victims, who currently are not all accounted for, but also the families and friends of these victims. I say this is just not the right time for this. I say the NDP lacks any shame and common decency, and I am shocked and appalled that they would come forward and want to play cheap politics with one of the greatest tragedies that has ever occurred in Canada.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.