Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport is proclaiming the end of the great Canadian national dream. His intent is clear. Rather than make our national rail system more efficient, the Minister has decided to pull out of the rail transportation sector, arguing that it is more important for Canadians and Quebecers to keep their social programs.
Can the Minister of Transport confirm if the planned abandonment of rail lines is part of his own department's expenditure reduction plan and will he concede that his desire to rationalize the rail system is fundamentally tied to his goal of eliminating nearly 15,000 jobs at Transport Canada?