Mr. Speaker, I would still like to thank the opposition for proposing to participate in a debate on that subject. It gives us the opportunity to clarify some points and allegations made by opposition members.
First, I feel we should look at the fundamentals of this debate. Canada's railroad industry is facing many pressing questions and is undoubtedly at the crossroads as far as its future is concerned.
We must recognize that Canadian taxpayers will pay more than $1.6 billion in direct grants to support the transportation network this year. Of this total, $331 million will take the form of direct grants to railroad passengers service. We feel, and everyone agrees, that the role and the structure of Crown corporations like VIA Rail should be reviewed from time to time. We must remain practical and concentrate on feasible solutions because VIA Rail passengers should have access to a multimodal, secure, reliable and, of course, affordable transportation network.
Before moving on to the future of VIA Rail, I believe it would be useful for me to give you a brief description of the background of the corporation and of its present situation. I mentioned earlier that in 1989, the leader of the opposition was part of a government which cut VIA Rail services by 50 per cent and eliminated nearly 2,500 jobs. Given that the minister who was part of such a government is now leader of the opposition, I think the onus really is upon the opposition to explain why VIA and CN were cut by 50 per cent in 1989. Why did they cut more than 2,500 jobs?
This is unfortunate. As a matter of fact, the workers, the families, Montrealers, good Quebecers and Canadians are the real victims of these cuts which were never justified by the opposition.
I am going to pursue this. Today, everybody wants to put the government of Canada on trial. But as everyone knows, we were not in power back then and I was not even a member of Parliament. Therefore, I would ask opposition members to jump at this opportunity to explain to Canadians and to hon. members of this House why they have moved for a debate on this subject matter.
We want answers. We are entitled to ask why we have as the Leader of the Opposition a member of the previous government which has substantially, we might say, changed the picture of VIA Rail and CN in Canada.
I would also like to point out to this House that there were several other opposition members who were part of the previous Conservative government and who, in my opinion, also had some responsibility in this matter. They are not here today to explain their actions. Nevertheless, they took part in the streamlining of CN and were accountable for this 50 per cent cutback. We must ask them questions.
There is nonetheless the Opposition House Leader who-