Mr. Speaker, I was certainly not in Paris. I point out to the hon. member that, in 1989, the current Leader of the Opposition was then a minister in the previous government and he made his decisions known. I too was not a member of Parliament back then. I was elected in 1993. I think I can say that voters in my riding of Bonaventure-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, in the Gaspe Peninsula, are unanimous to say that their MP is the number one promoter of the region's development and interests, and that includes CN and VIA Rail. Indeed, we are the ones who reinstated the service and made savings, and we are also the ones who will guarantee the provision of that service. Separating Quebec from the rest of Canada will not guarantee CN's future, nor an adequate service for the regions.
When the opposition talks about the future and, for example, the high speed train, it never says anything about remote regions. What about those regions? I am not the one who has to take the criticism because I am not the minister. I am just a private member. However, I certainly hope that I represent my constituents with dignity and I want some answers. Quebecers want to know why Mr. Bouchard was involved in the decision to cut 50 per cent of the rail service in Quebec. We want answers.
Instead of criticizing the member for Bonaventure-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, you should ask that question to your leader.