Mr. Chair, I too would like to extend birthday wishes. It should have been happier circumstances. I too have spent birthdays in this place, so I wish the minister well after all of this is over.
I wish to advise that I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Acadie—Bathurst. I am hoping to take just seven and a half minutes of the 15 minutes, if you could let me know, Mr. Chair, when I am close to a minute left.
Given the potential magnitude of increased risk to human life and the environment from the massively expanded rail transport of petroleum products the government is allowing, why has the federal budget for rail safety remained stagnant?