Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleague a couple of questions. This is an issue that must be addressed from the point of view of a couple of different perspectives. One of course is the heavy handed nature of the exercise today with the Conservative government introducing closure, when in fact it appears that some leadership could have been offered to bring both sides together and to resolve these difficult issues.
My first question to my colleague is, what is her understanding of why the government is so compelled to bring in this heavy handed measure? Was it in fact a need to get this issue out of the way, to create some flexibility for a possible election call? Does it have anything to do with its electoral political agenda?
Second, with respect to CN as a whole, it used to be a matter of our national identity, part of our history, our tradition, our heritage, linking this country together from sea to sea and a symbol of our greatness. That whole symbolism has deteriorated over the years with the privatization and the selloff of CN, to the point now where we have this huge company that is basically running rampant without concern for the health and lives of workers, without concern for the environment, without concern for transportation needs, and without concern for disability rights. At some point it seems to me that the government has to gain control over this issue and deal with this company which has so much power when so much is at stake.
We know that the Liberals allowed this to happen back in 1995 with so many other cutbacks. They put CN on the chopping block, allowed for its privatization. They oversaw the merger of this company and basically its takeover by Americans who are now trying to create a company that is more in line with an American approach to working relations, to labour relations, to the environment, to safety, to people with disabilities, rights and so on.
I think we need to hear from the member and others about what does this all say about the present government's role in an institution that needs to unite the country and be there to provide environmentally sustainable transportation, good working conditions, and ensure that all people have access to this necessary transportation method.