Madam Speaker, in northwest B.C. the railroad tracks run through so many of our communities. Day and night, trains over a kilometre long rumble through residential areas carrying dangerous goods such as diesel, propane and methanol. If proposed terminal projects go ahead, the volume of dangerous goods will increase even further.
While these trains are integral to our economy, the increase has communities concerned. They see derailments occurring and worry about the risk of a major incident, like the one in Lac-Mégantic. They wonder about response times and evacuation plans. Most of all, they wonder if federal regulations are doing enough to ensure that a major incident never occurs in the first place. Recent reports from the environment commissioner and the Auditor General have shown their concerns are legitimate.
People who live in northwest B.C., including those who work on the trains, deserve a federal government that is doing everything in its power to protect communities, workers and our environment. We will not be silent until that basic responsibility is fulfilled.