Thank you.
I would certainly encourage this committee to speak directly to the railways. There have been a number of comments here that are simply factually not true. They are the real driving force for rail safety. If you look at the equipment and the spend that CN and CPKC have put toward improved rail safety, they're best to talk about that.
What I would say is that the job of either preparing for or preventing, and responding to an emergency is not borne solely by the municipalities. Industry, from the shippers right through the railway providers and emergency contractors, does shoulder a lot of those costs. For the smaller communities, when you talk to the railways, ask them about how they pre-position emergency response equipment so that it is available in those instances where it takes more time to get there.
There's a lot of work. It's good work. We're all in this together. It's not a case of industry, and railways especially, trying to dodge their responsibilities. I think Canada's two class 1 railways are incredible leaders in rail safety.
There's always more to do, but they will work with you to get there. Please do speak to them directly.