Mr. Speaker, I am sure the member did not pay for a ticket on the rail service.
Our government supports a passenger rail network that meets the needs of today's travellers while supporting the efficient use of taxpayer dollars.
I remind the member that VIA Rail is an independent crown corporation, and as such, it is responsible for its own operational decisions.
VIA Rail's primary objective is to provide a safe and efficient passenger rail service. In keeping with this objective, VIA is responsible for providing those services in as cost-effective a manner as possible.
If members opposite want to support VIA Rail, they should start voting for the appropriations that happened in our budget. They have a history of opposing passenger—