Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
Thank you to our witnesses for being here today, day two of a four-day study on this issue. We're very interested in hearing your testimony.
I will start by saying that it goes without saying that we understand the importance of our railways to our country and our economy and recognize that there needs to be a balance struck between the railways and the customers they serve. Certainly, looking at the legislation that's before us today, I think we're all committed to doing that and ensuring that this legislation does that.
I'm a little confused by some of what I've heard today in relation to Mr. Bourque's comments around Bill,C-49 describing this legislation as creating additional measures on top of measures that are rarely used. I want to then look at the testimony that was given by Mr. Ellis and Mr. Clements in regard to long-haul interswitching. I think those were the measures that Mr. Bourque may have been referring to, I'm not sure, where you defined the extended interswitching regime as being deeply flawed and generating a number of harmful public policy consequences that ultimately disadvantage the Canadian supply chain.
I want to reflect back on some of the testimony that we heard when we were studying the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act. The stats that were provided to our committee during our study demonstrated that extended interswitching was, in fact, rarely used. Our shippers acknowledged that, while that was the case, it was seen as a very helpful tool in negotiating contracts with the railways.
We have folks saying that this was a remedy that was rarely used, but that it created harmful public policy consequences and ultimately disadvantaged the Canadian supply chain. I'm trying to reconcile those comments and would give you an opportunity to speak to that.