Mr. Speaker, I will take this opportunity, but not to put federalism on trial, because after all Canada has contributed to Quebec's economic development. We have a specific example of that with Mr. Chrétien's visit to Asia. I will not get off the topic, except to say that I find it very strange to hear the opposition member say that this government is doing nothing for rail transportation.
I would like to ask him this question: Where was the present leader of the opposition when he was a minister in the Conservative government and on October 4, 1989, the Conservative government, with Lucien Bouchard as Minister of the Environment in the Mulroney Cabinet, announced cuts of 50 per cent in VIA Rail's services across the country?
I think that we should use today not to put federalism and federal transportation policy on trial but rather to call the Leader of the Opposition to account for what he did then. He was there and he cut the north shore Montreal-Trois-Rivières-Quebec City service, for example. Lucien Bouchard was also party to the decision to cut the Montreal-Ottawa-Sudbury-Winnipeg-Calgary-Vancouv er service known as the Canadian. Lucien Bouchard was there when the night service from Montreal to Toronto was cut. Lucien Bouchard was there when the Winnipeg-Capreol service was cut.