House of Commons Hansard #203 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was service.
Denis Blanchette NDP Louis-Hébert, QC
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech.
In his speech he mentioned many positives about this bill, which we support.
Could he expand on what he would like to see in this bill? Aside from a dialogue between the various stakeholders, what would he like to see improved while the bill is in committee?
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Speaker, there is a huge market to the south of us, the U.S. The bill is exceptionally vague. I think it is a major hole in this bill to not incorporate any level of assurance for the industry in terms of these service level agreements and what impact they would have on the transportation of product from Canada to the United States. That would be one major issue.
Short lines are another major issue. There are hundreds of miles of short lines. It is a relatively small percentage. CP and CN have probably about 90%, 94%, or 95% of the total industry. There is still that other 5% or 6% or so. That is just my best guesstimate.
It would be nice to get more clarification. That is why I would argue that what we really need is that the government have an open mind going into the committee stage and that it listen to the stakeholders and be prepared to amend the legislation. I suspect that there will be a number of amendments.
Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
Mr. Speaker, at this point, can the member throw support behind a national transportation strategy? I do not know if the member's party has taken a position in favour of a national transportation strategy. I think we really need to look at this one relatively small but important piece of legislation in a larger context.
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Speaker, a national transportation strategy is not new. One could probably trace it back through the last decade as one of those issues that needs to be dealt with. The Liberal Party has been advocating for it for a number of years. At the end of the day, I suspect that it is in all of our best interests.
There are opportunities in terms of passenger transportation. I would love to be able to hop on a train, for example, to go from Winnipeg to Regina. I cannot do that. Yet those are two very important communities, not only in my life but in the lives of millions, I would argue. The transportation corridor from the 905 belt to Montreal, Quebec City and Ottawa all the way down to Hamilton and Windsor is a wonderful opportunity.
There needs to be that overall transportation strategy. I suspect that at least three of the four political parties are going to have a detailed strategy going into the 2015 election.
Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend from Winnipeg North for his compelling speech.
As a member of the agriculture and agri-food committee, I want to confirm many of the observations he has made with respect to the abuses the farming community has been subjected to. They include the condition of cars, which is so bad that upon arrival they have lost wheat through holes in the floors of the cars. There is the late arrival of cars, when farmers have been asked to have their produce available days in advance of the arrival of those cars. There is a big complaint from overseas about the inability to deliver on time.
I am just wondering if my friend could embellish a little and talk more about the abuses our farmers have suffered and how long overdue this legislation really is.
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Speaker, it is, in fact, a very important issue, so I appreciate the hon. member raising the question.
At the end of the day, it is all about quality service. It is not good enough when one loads a product into a car and one actually sees seepage because of a container's poor quality. There needs to be more accountability, and that is, in essence, what the individuals who require this service are calling for. Today it is very limited. There is a great imbalance.
This bill is a step in the right direction. The question is whether it is going to be a very small step or a decent-size step? If it is a decent-size step, it would imply that the government is actually going to listen to some of the presenters at the committee stage. For it to be a decent-size step, there will have to be amendments to make this bill better legislation. If we do that, members will be able to address some of the issues my colleague has just raised.
This goes to the core of the issue. Shippers have to have the cars on time. Those cars have to transport that commodity to its destination at any one of Canada's coasts. That has to happen in an efficient manner that does not take away from the quality of the product being transported, which has been an issue raised by many individuals. They want their quality product to arrive in the same condition in which it went into the train. Who can blame them for that? After all, they want to have repeat clientele. They want to continue those agreements well into the future.
For example, members know that prairie farmers produce the best product in the world. They want that best product not only going into the cars but also departing the train as a first-class product.
Dany Morin NDP Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to know what my colleague thinks about the NDP's criticism that Bill C-52 does not address rail fees.
When members of our party consulted exporters, many of them criticized the huge variations in prices, depending on which company they chose—CN or CP. Unfortunately, this bill does not address these price discrepancies.
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Speaker, I recognize that when one talks about freight rates, one needs to be cognizant of the fact that it is hard to put a set rate in legislation. There might be some guidelines one can incorporate in regulation in a very general framework as it is set up in the legislation itself. I would like to think that members will see some suggestions on that point.
There would have to be specific types of amendments. One has to be careful when talking about the market value of a box that contains whatever type of product. One has to leave a certain amount of that issue to the private sector.
I approach things with a relatively open mind. Hopefully, the government will do likewise. At the end of the day, it is about shippers and consumers.To a certain degree, it is also important for Canada's rail lines and their longevity. Members want CP and CN to grow and prosper. It is not about denying profits to these two corporations or the short lines. It is more about providing a guarantee of quality of service and a sense of fairness and that farmers in the prairies are not being taken advantage of because of the dominance of two rail lines.
When we go to committee, these are the issues we have to ensure are addressed. If we do not do that, then there are far too many individuals, groups, corporations and businesses that will lose out. I ask the government to do the right thing. I conclude by saying that I trust and hope that the government will seek and make the necessary amendments so that members can unanimously pass this legislation at third reading.
The Acting Speaker Conservative Bruce Stanton
Before the hon. member for Louis-Hébert resumes debate, I must inform him that I shall be interrupting him at 1:58 p.m. for statements by members.
The hon. member for Louis-Hébert has the floor.
Denis Blanchette NDP Louis-Hébert, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to discuss this bill, as this may be the dawn of a new era in rail transportation. It has been my sense that the sector has been in decline for decades.
When a bill is introduced in the House, it is usually because there is some problem that needs addressing. Laws are not passed just for the sake of passing them. We do not set out to bore people. We are not in the business of hurting market sectors. We are here to make things better.
The Liberals acted hastily when they privatized CN in 1995, and they failed to think through the consequences. Monopolies were created in some regions of the country and duopolies in others, and we know what this led to.
In my riding, for instance, one of the consequences of the privatization has become a recurring election issue: the upkeep of the Quebec Bridge and its rail lines. The matter has been before the courts for seven years and is the direct result of privatization. The Conservatives only ignored the problem. When CN was privatized there was no consideration given to the consequences for the users of the different services. It is not worth mentioning VIA Rail because we all know what the problems with it are. We will have other opportunities to discuss this. The users of these transportation services have had problems for years.
The government has finally decided to act, but it is doing the bare minimum, and more needs to be done. We intend to support the bill at second reading and propose amendments to improve it.
If the Conservative government ends up introducing regulations, one can be sure that it is because the problem has dragged on for some while and something really must be done.
Is the fact that it is a private company the cause of the problem? No, the problem is that there is a monopoly. In this situation, there are two conflicting priorities: a company's need to make a profit and provide a dividend to its shareholders, and the service that it must provide its customers.
If there is no incentive created by competition, customer service suffers for the sake of shareholders' dividends. Moreover, an increasing number of sections of railway are being closed in rural regions, more and more services are being dropped and more and more cuts are being made to passenger service. This era has seen the decline of rail transportation.
And that is despite the fact that ours is a huge but sparsely populated country with vast distances to cover. That is why we need an efficient long-distance transportation system that causes as little environmental damage as possible. Rail transportation would fit the bill, but the government is letting the system go downhill.
The government waited years to act. It should come as no surprise that people using the service began to get together. I am not suggesting that they began to unionize, because that would freak some people out. People who use the system felt the need to talk to one another about how the level of service does not make sense. They started to exert pressure on the government because the level and quality of service were poor.
Globalization means that we have to deliver products all over the place, and quickly. Obviously, if someone has a product, be it from a forest, a mine, a farm or anywhere else outside a major centre, that product has to be packed up and shipped quickly. Global competition means that we need to provide this kind of service and we need the infrastructure to do it.
So the question is, how can we balance the need for a business to make a profit—be it a farm or a major corporation in a remote location—with the needs of many companies that often have no alternative form of transportation? Throw into the mix the need for transportation to be as green as possible. How can we bring these needs in line with each other? This has always been a problem.
That is why, in January 2011, Transport Canada released a final report on its rail freight service review. The committee's mandate included the following:
Conduct a review of the rail-based logistics chain...with a focus on service provided to Canadian shippers and customers...
Identify problems and issues with respect to railway service including those stemming from other elements of the logistics chain.
Rail transportation is one part of the logistics chain for shipping to various clients.
For shippers located on shortlines, determine if there are any problems with logistics and, if so, the source of the problem including service, operating, or marketing practices of the main-line carriers.
Signs were already pointing to a deep-rooted problem. At the end of the report, of course, there are a number of recommendations. There is a whole range. For example, the first recommendation is as follows:
The Panel recommends that railways, in collaboration with their stakeholders, continue to develop commercial measures to improve rail service.
In 2011, it was acknowledged that there was an issue. That was two years ago.
The second recommendation is as follows:
Prior to implementing changes in local train service, railways should consult affected stakeholders and provide a minimum notification period of 10 working days.
That recommendation relates to previously identified service issues.
And here is the third recommendation:
Railways should enter into good-faith negotiations to establish service agreements upon request by stakeholders...
That recommendation truly concerns the scope of Bill C-52, and the bill addresses only the third recommendation.
There is a fourth recommendation:
The Panel recommends that railways, assisted by a facilitator appointed by Transport Canada, should engage in negotiations with stakeholders...
That happened a bit later. I will speak to that in a moment.
And the fifth recommendation is as follows:
Railways should provide improved supply chain visibility through enhanced reporting.
Basically, there is a lack of communication between the service provider and the clients. Plain and simple. We could keep going.
Last year, in May 2012, the facilitator's report also came with recommendations.
The first recommendation is as follows:
Transport Canada should make the service agreement template...available to rail freight stakeholders...
There is mention of a service agreement template, a dispute resolution process, and so on.
This is a fundamental problem. Clients often have no choice. Even rural or more remote areas are producing goods.
That is the beauty of globalization. We can produce goods across the country and deliver them to anywhere in the world. To do this, we need world-class infrastructure. We have a serious problem when it is totally impossible for users to get adequate service.
We see that people are dissatisfied and have lost confidence. We also have to consider the economic consequences for users of this service, one of which is the erosion of market share. We often forget this, but we are sacrificing Canada's economic driving force.
That is why I think this bill is a step in the right direction. We are slowly trying to solve the problem through this legislation. Although it does not do everything we would like it to and it does not come close to creating a national transportation strategy, at least we are trying to come up with solutions. We are getting closer to something better for the entire supply chain from the perspective of producers in rural and remote areas.
If we do not address this issue, Canada's ability to compete will be compromised. God knows that Canada's competitiveness is important. We therefore cannot allow rail service and our providers' ability to improve that service to deteriorate.
The Acting Speaker Conservative Bruce Stanton
The hon. member for Louis-Hébert will have eight minutes to speak when the House resumes debate on the motion.
Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
Mr. Speaker, this past Friday, I welcomed the President of the Treasury Board of Canada to my riding to do two pre-budget consultation sessions in Wallaceburg and in Strathroy in the riding of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex.
It is true that no government in the history of Canada has consulted more with Canadians on important issues than our Conservative government. Friday's meetings marked the 22nd time I have had the opportunity to consult with my constituents prior to a federal budget. Overwhelmingly, we heard time and again that constituents agreed with our government's direction to balance the budget, keep taxes low and continue to grow our economy.
I thank the chambers of commerce for coordinating these events and the constituents of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex who shared their views during these sessions and through my website. We wish them all a healthy and prosperous 2013.
Anne Minh-Thu Quach NDP Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC
Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, February 10, we will be celebrating the Lunar New Year, or Tet as the Vietnamese call it.
Tet, which means feast of the first morning, also marks the arrival of spring. 2013 is the year of the water snake, a year of collective wisdom.
This celebration is an opportunity for me to immerse myself in the world of my ancestors and to introduce others to Vietnamese culture.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to work together and to continue fighting for human rights, justice, democracy and equality.
Attitudes change slowly, so we must be creative and patient, and we must persevere. And we should celebrate the fact that by growing up in a diverse and rich world, Canadian children help bring hope to those living in Vietnam.
Finally, I would like to say to my fellow Vietnamese Canadians that they can count on me to speak on their behalf in the Parliament of Canada and, through my diplomatic ties, in Vietnam.
Enjoy the 2013 Tet festivities. Chuc mung nam moi.
Mike Allen Conservative Tobique—Mactaquac, NB
Mr. Speaker, this Thursday, Plaster Rock, New Brunswick, will host the 12th annual World Pond Hockey Championship. The event, often copied but never duplicated, will see 132 men's and women's teams descend on the Tobique for a weekend of fun and good old-fashioned hospitality.
Tournament chair Danny Braun and his organizing committee and hundreds of volunteers deserve special credit for making this event truly a world showcase. Teams will come from all over the U.S. and Canada and hockey hot-bed spots like the Cayman Islands and Puerto Rico to take part. Over the weekend, this little village of 1,100 people will see its population double. It anticipates 8,000 visitors.
World Pond Hockey has contributed significant dollars to community organizations, like the volunteer firefighters, school scholarships and the construction of a new arena.
This year my colleagues from Barrie, Westlock—St. Paul, Fundy Royal and Saint John will join me in New Brunswick as we take on the world on Roulston Lake in an effort to win but, more important, to not get hurt.
I thank all the people who give so much of their time to make this event a great success. I hope to see everyone on the pond, the way hockey was meant to be played.
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to celebrate Black History Month, to pay tribute to the contributions of past generations who paved the way, to commemorate the accomplishments, experiences and stories of black Canadians and to reaffirm our commitment to the next generations.
From Mathieu Da Costa, who accompanied Samuel de Champlain more than four centuries ago, to the struggle to abolish slavery, black Canadians have played a fundamental role in Canada's history.
While we all celebrate such great Canadians as the Right Hon. Michaëlle Jean, the Hon. Lincoln Alexander, Donovan Bailey, et cetera, let us also recognize those in our communities who make a difference ever day, In my community are Dr. Mohamed Gilao and Osman Ali, who work tirelessly, and the Hon. Jean Augustine, Canada's first black woman member of Parliament.
This month let us all take the time to learn about the people and events that shaped our country's great history.
Peter Braid Conservative Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
Mr. Speaker, the BlackBerry is back. I am proud to have BlackBerry headquartered in my riding of Kitchener—Waterloo. The company is our region's largest employer and corporate supporter.
I am also proud to be the first member of Parliament with the coveted new BlackBerry 10 in my hands.
Released last week, in a splash around the world, the new operating system has received rave reviews. RIM invented the Smartphone and, once again, BlackBerry is transforming the industry. This is Canadian innovation at its best.
Some have suggested that there may be an element of national pride at stake here, perhaps not unlike a gold medal hockey game. Well, it is sudden death overtime and BlackBerry just put the puck in the net.
Ève Péclet NDP La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Mr. Speaker, today, we learned that child poverty has increased by 20% in 20 years and that one in 10 Canadians is living below the poverty line. The Conference Board of Canada gave us an average rating of D+.
Meanwhile, the people in my riding of La Pointe-de-l'Île are concerned about the changes to employment insurance. Expertise in a number of seasonal sectors is at risk of being lost because workers will have to take jobs in other industries for less pay. The competition is already tough for jobs that pay less and less and the reform will drive salaries even lower. People are already having trouble making ends meet.
Just because the minister feels she can help herself to $200,000 in public funds to build herself a bathroom does not mean that she can take money directly from Canadians' pockets.
On behalf of voters in La Pointe-de-l'Île, I am asking her to abandon her reform and listen to Canadians.
Eve Adams Conservative Mississauga—Brampton South, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have been listening to my neighbours, at their doors, at round table meetings and at community events in the great cities of Mississauga and Brampton.
My neighbours shared their vision for our nation and their priorities for the next federal budget. For families across Mississauga and Brampton, the economy is the top priority. I was proud to reaffirm to my neighbours that our Conservative government remained squarely focused on their priority. We are focused on creating jobs and long-term prosperity for Canadian families.
I was proud to share that Canada had the lowest debt burden by far, that we had the strongest job creation numbers in the G7, with over 900,000 net new jobs created since July 2009.
While the economy is our top priority, we on this side of the House will also be focusing on families, ensuring that we continue to introduce legislation aimed at keeping our streets and communities safe. I am proud that my neighbours know they can trust and continue to count on the Conservative government. We will continue to prioritize economic stability.
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
Mr. Speaker, members of the Swift Current Oratorio Choir are celebrating its 40th anniversary season preparing for what some say is a dream come true for musicians.
Choir director Marcia McLean has accepted an invitation to perform at New York City's Carnegie Hall next January as part of a celebration of the 70th birthday of composer Karl Jenkins. Ms. McLean called the invitation “quite an honour”.
Marcia McLean and her husband Greg's passion for and contributions to music in southwestern Saskatchewan have not gone unnoticed. At the Swift Current Comprehensive High School, Marcia rebuilt the choral program from the ground up and Greg grew the band program into one of Saskatchewan's largest band and jazz programs. The couple was also named as two of the five most fascinating people in Swift Current in 2010.
Congratulations to the members of the Swift Current Oratorio Choir who come from communities all over southwest Saskatchewan. I know their hard work will impress not only the audience, but the composer himself.
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker:
Farewell to the lowly old penny,
The most common of coins that we'll see,
And once served us well,
But most people will tell,
It ain't what it once used to be.
There's nothing a penny will buy anymore,
Not a gum ball or small piece of candy,
We don't even use the old fashioned fuse,
Where the penny at least came in handy.
Nope, the penny's a nuisance,
It cost too much to make,
They clutter our change purse,
And they don't circulate.
They build up in piles,
And in old cookie jars,
Under our beds,
And in our desk drawers.
You can't give them away,
They cost more than they're worth,
It's time to put them all out to pasture,
Put them out to the curb.
No, the penny is useless,
But there's one thing I'd say,
I hope they never start treating old MPs this way.
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of World Cancer Day, the theme of which this year is to dispel damaging myths about cancer, including how people view and respond to the disease.
Though more and more people are surviving cancer, still more than one-third of all Canadians will develop cancer during their lifetime and one in four of those will die from this terrible disease. As virtually everyone knows someone who has or has been affected by cancer, it is a disease that touches all Canadians.
We know that research is improving treatment for cancer every day and that finding a cure is possible. That is why since forming government in 2006, we established the Canadian partnership against cancer and have invested over $1 billion for cancer research.
We know the burden cancer places on families and loved ones. That is why we have made numerous improvements to EI to support these families with critically ill loved ones. Our government recognizes cancer is not only about health; it is about all of us.
Alain Giguère NDP Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Mr. Speaker, this past Friday, the Villa Ste-Rose retirement home was destroyed by fire. Thanks to the dedication of the four employees on site and the emergency services personnel, no one was injured.
And with the help of neighbours, the assistance of all the municipal services in Laval and the leadership of the Red Cross, the 79 residents immediately received shelter in neighbouring homes, comfort and, most importantly, heat. I want to say a huge thank you and well done to all those who participated in this rescue.
As the member of Parliament for Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, I am very proud to say that my constituents have very big hearts and they are in the right place.
This fire reminds us just how vulnerable our seniors are and how important it is to treat them with dignity. Now is the time for Canada to develop an affordable housing policy for people who are losing their autonomy.
Our seniors are the ones who created the wealth in this country. Now is the time to give them affordable, safe and comfortable housing.
Lawrence Toet Conservative Elmwood—Transcona, MB
Mr. Speaker, today we say goodbye to the penny. For years they collected in jars on our dressers, demanding too much time for too little return of our small business owners and retailers. That is why, as of today, the Mint will no longer distribute the coins, saving taxpayers $11 million a year.
To ensure a smooth transition, we have worked with retailers and small businesses on a national awareness campaign and we have encouraged Canadians to donate their pennies to charity as they so generously continue to do so.
With this transition, Canada will adopt a straightforward rounding system like Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and others, which have all successfully eliminated their pennies. By rounding cash transactions to the nearest nickel, we will save both businesses and consumers time and trouble in the checkout lines.
Consumers should remember that these rules only affect cash payments and that pennies will retain their value indefinitely.
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the St-Albert Cheese Co-operative was devastated by fire. Not only was the physical property lost, but so was a part of eastern Ontario's history. Luckily, no one was hurt.
Since this co-operative was founded in 1894, it has been a success story and a symbol of entrepreneurial pride for French Ontario. My thoughts are with the 120 employees who are now out of work. Knowing the perseverance of the world of co-operatives and the determination of the region's farmers, I am sure that the cheese co-op will rebuild, and soon.
I am filled with admiration for this vibrant co-operative, which I have visited a number of times. It has world-class professionalism and know-how.
I want to commend the firefighters from the neighbouring towns who responded quickly and helped the St. Albert station. I extend my best wishes and those of my colleagues to all those associated with the co-operative.
Joyce Bateman Conservative Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, the NDP leader is planning to impose a $20 billion job-killing carbon tax on Canadians that would increase the price of everything. Canadians have been clear. They want a government that is focused on the economy.
That is why, in the past seven weeks, Conservative MPs and ministers have sat down with hard-working Canadians in over 200 meetings to ensure the Canadian economy is creating jobs and long-term prosperity.
It is no surprise that Canada's debt is by far the lowest and that we lead the G7 in job creation, with more than 900,000 jobs created since July 2009.
Canadians can count on our Conservative government to continue fighting the NDP's job-killing carbon tax and focus on creating good jobs for Canadian families.