It is not the answer of someone interested in regional development.
Last Wednesday I took part in a symposium organized in Chicoutimi by people who want to plan their regional development. They want to draw up a strategic development plan for their area. Today, they will be told to forget about including Chibougamau-Chapais in their plan because there are people in the Department of Transport and at the CN who say that if the rail line is not profitable, it must be closed. At this rate, all the roads to Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean are going to be closed. What highway pays for itself? What is the government's duty?
The duty of the government is to provide services, it is not to calculate their cost-effectiveness to the penny. Is the Jonquière Hospital cost effective? Of course not. Is the CEGEP in Jonquière cost effective? People will say that we spend millions of dollars, we train people and some of these young people are unemployed, because of the economic policies of past and present governments. It is not profitable, so close it down. At that rate, let us close Canada down. Is Canada profitable? Canada is running a $40-billion deficit, so close Canada down.
That is why I support the previous speaker's thinking, not on shutting down Canada, but on closing down railways in outlying regions. They are extremely important, they are our arteries, our lifeblood, our economic development depends on them. If we start closing them, we will be paralysed. That is how paralysis occurs in the human body; blood stops circulating. If you close our railways and our highways, if you do not give us the infrastructure we need to develop, we will be paralysed and die.
I am pleased to support the motion of my colleague from Roberval and I am sure that hon. members will support it too.