Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Transport said that it was up to Via Rail management to decide on the choice of rail equipment, thereby suggesting that the decision was not up to him.
Would the Minister of Transport consider setting environmental standards for the rail equipment used in Canada? This would produce two benefits: it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and it would help protect jobs at GEC Alstom, in Montreal, the only plant in Canada capable of manufacturing such environmentally friendly diesel engines.