I agree with the other panellist.
The decision to privatize profit and force the cost onto the public sector will inevitably make the other elements of public sector provision more tenuous. If Via is expected to continue to provide service without making profit from the Toronto-to-Montreal corridor, for example, it's going to have more difficulties, especially if a private sector entity is taking up profit from that line.
From an operational perspective, high-speed rail service operations in other parts of the world are almost universally profitable, which means they pay for their day-to-day operations.
That said, it is worth pointing out that this doesn't mean they pay for their capital costs over time; it depends on how the project funding is structured. If the project's profits are being spent on paying back debt service on a line, for example, it may not be possible for even a profitable high-speed line to support other parts of the country. If, however, the national government chooses to pay for the high-speed line with some dedicated source that doesn't incur debt onto Via, Via could use its profit to support other parts of the country.
The key question is on profit sharing.