Mr. Speaker, thanks to the initiative of the Rural Dignity and Ralliement gaspésien organizations, hearings are currently being held in Bonaventure and Gaspé regarding the maintenance of the railway service.
Several groups and individuals expressed their views and supported the idea of maintaining the Chaleur, the only passen-
ger train still in operation in the Gaspe Peninsula and a vital tool for the region's economic development.
Given the fact that the Liberal Party is not represented at these hearings, I want to draw to the attention of the Minister of Transport the legitimate concerns expressed by residents of that region. Will the minister pledge to hold official public hearings on this issue, as recommended in the Liberal Party's report on the future of the transportation sector in the Gaspe Peninsula?