Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I thank my colleague Mr. Bachrach for his motion.
To begin, I'd just like to reiterate the importance of our study on rail safety and the transportation of dangerous goods. In this context, I think that our constituents expect us to do a serious job and not limit ourselves to the surface of things.
Getting these emergency response plans would allow us to see what the government and railway companies are doing. It would also allow us to see how things work, concretely. Finally, it would allow us to better understand their work and the risks on the ground.
Let's say I have an opportunity to get emergency response plans for my riding, I shouldn't pass them up. As a member of Parliament, I have a responsibility to seize this opportunity because it's important for me to defend the interests of my constituents, as it is for everyone here. In theory, I don't mind having that data available to municipal fire chiefs, but I think it's also a team effort. In my opinion, it's the committee’s job to gather all the necessary information.
With respect to Mr. Badawey’s amendment, I'd like to say that I'm completely open to the idea of the committee receiving documents. Afterwards, we'll be able to make more specific requests. However, I think it’s important that those documents be presented to the committee and that we have an opportunity to review them. This wouldn't pose a security risk, since it would be presented in confidence.