Motion No. 10

That Bill C-14 be amended by adding after line 6, on page 18, the following new Clause:

"49.1 (1) Where the government of a province requests information a ) relative to the costs of a railway company in respect of the transportation services and operations of that company, or b ) relative to the costs of the company in moving specified commodities generally or between specified points, the Minister may, in writing, request the company to furnish the Minister with the information in such manner and to such extent as the Minister may specify.

(2) The Minister may, on receipt of the information requested by the Minister from the company, release the information to the government of the province that requested it, if that government has undertaken to treat the information as confidential."

Motion No. 11

That Bill C-14 be amended by adding after line 6, on page 18, the following new Clause:

"49.2 Where the Minister considers it expedient to do so in the public interest, the Minister may, in writing, request a railway company to furnish the Minister with such information concerning its costs as the Minister may specify."

Motion No. 12

That Bill C-14 be amended by adding after line 6, on page 18, the following new Clause:

"49.3 (1) Subject to this section and subsection 49.1(2), no person shall knowingly publish or allow to be published, or communicate or allow to be communicated to any person, any information provided under section 49.1 or released under section 49.2.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply so as to prohibit the communication of information to a ) a minister of the Crown in right of Canada or any province, or b ) an officer or employee of Her Majesty in right of Canada or any province who is required in the course of his duties to receive the information referred to in that subsection.

(3) Any information furnished under section 49.1 or 49.2 that is relevant to any proceedings under this Act may, for the purposes of those proceedings, be published or communicated by the government of the province to which it was released pursuant to section 49.1, or by the Minister."

Motion No. 13

That Bill C-14 be amended by adding after line 6, on page 18, the following new Clause:

"49.4 (1) A railway company to whom a request is made by the Minister under section 49.1 or 49.2 shall forthwith comply with that request.

(2) Where a railway company to whom a request is made by the Minister under section 49.1 or 49.2 fails to comply with that request, the Minister may, without prejudice to any penalty to which the company may be liable under this Act, exercise all the powers referred to in this Act to obtain that information."

Mr. Speaker, these motions require making information readily available to the ministers of transport in the provinces where changes to the rail system may occur.

I believe this makes some sense. The information has to be available as soon as the railway has made the decision to abandon. It allows for discussion within the province and allows for planning to get the alternative transportation modes in place with the provinces and the municipalities. It is something that might happen without it being required if the public relations department of the railway thinks it is important but it would be much better if it was required to happen.