Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the minister responsible for regional development in Quebec.
Yesterday, it was announced that CP Rail's head office in Montreal will be closed and relocated to Calgary, leading to the loss of 710 jobs in Montreal. CP Rail justifies its decision by saying that an increasingly large portion of its activity is centred on the western provinces. Ottawa's policies have always supported western railway development at great cost, while encouraging rail cutbacks in the east.
Does the minister acknowledge that CP Rail's move to the west is the result of the discriminatory policies that have always been practiced by the federal government with respect to rail transportation?