Mr. Speaker, with all due respect for the hon. member representing Bonaventure-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, I realize that he does not know anything about the railroad issue and I would hope that, in the few hours of debate left, the government will be represented by people who have some basic knowledge of the issue.
When Bloc Quebecois members, and certainly myself, talk about the future of the railway system in Quebec, it is of course in the context of a larger network which would include surrounding provincial or federal states, including the United States. I remind the hon. member for Bonaventure-Îles-de-la-Madeleine that, during the debate on free trade, sovereignists were the strongest and most vocal supporters of that option. In fact, Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney paid tribute to the current deputy premier of Quebec, Mr. Bernard Landry, who travelled across Quebec, and even Canada, in support of the free trade accord with the United States, back in 1988.
Sovereignists are not afraid of economic challenges. We have no problem whatsoever with competing. We are well aware that we live in North America and we want to develop economic, cultural and social links as much with Canada as with the United States. In that respect, the railway system is a tool among others. My colleague, who has experienced railway systems in Europe, made it very clear a few minutes ago. In Europe, railways cross borders almost every 600 or 700 kilometres and there is no problem. Nobody ever said: "We will have a network in France, but no connection with Belgium, Italy or Spain".
Obviously, when my colleagues and I think about railway development, what we have in mind is a network linked to all of Canada, as well as the United States. In fact, the railroad in my riding is an international line, since it goes across Quebec and Maine, on to New Brunswick. It goes without saying that we must think in terms of the whole continent when we look at the railway system. We hope to save our domestic network so as to be able to connect with American networks as well as Canada.
As regards the use of electricity, it is one of many options, and as good as many others. My colleague was simply trying to show that, with a bit of imagination, there are solutions which could ensure a promising future for the railways.