Mr. Speaker, it has been five years since the provincial Liberals cancelled the Northlander train, a decision that has had a profound impact on the communities of northeastern Ontario and Muskoka. Politically it showed in no uncertain terms that to the provincial Liberals there are two Ontarios, one that counts and one that does not.
It is simply unacceptable to state that subsidized public transit will be a priority for urban, suburban regions while telling the north that they can get by with shut down rail stations and privatized highway maintenance.
All across Canada we see the abandonment of the rural north, including the shut down of bus lines in rural Saskatchewan, the closure of the train services to Churchill, the abandonment of the Huron Central and the Algoma Central, and the chronic undercutting of VIA Rail. However, in northeastern Ontario, citizens are coming together to fight for public transit.
I support the work of the All Aboard Coalition and will work with my provincial NDP colleagues. Public transit is a right across Canada and we will fight for the Northlander train.