Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Usually a minister comes to the first meeting to present their bill and talk about its many benefits.
Minister, you've had the benefit, or you should have had the benefit, of reviewing the testimony from over 10 hours of witnesses who have been before this committee before you arrived today. Whether they've been rail companies, marine groups, port users, port authorities, port terminal operators, unions or environmental groups, they've all said this bill is either bad for their sector or does nothing to improve the situation with supply chains.
Your opening statement could have been given by Omar Alghabra. I heard that speech in the spring.
Why haven't you listened to the industry groups, to the unions, to the environmentalists, to everyone who has been before this committee up until today's meeting and then come to this committee with what you're proposing to change, as opposed to telling us it's a very good bill and that many people are telling you how great it is, when your Liberal counterparts at this committee couldn't find anyone to come to defend it?