Douglas Young

[Esquimalt And Nanaimo Railway, May 9th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague would know that the decision of the Supreme Court of Canada simply indicated there was not a constitutional obligation on the part of VIA to maintain that service. It did not relate to the continuation of the service; it simply stated there was no constitutional obligation.

The review of services on Vancouver Island, as is the case across the country, will depend on what VIA can achieve faced with its budget constraints and the reality of the level of service across the country for passengers wishing to use VIA services.

The answer to the question is that VIA in its good time will assess the viability of that line. Also, I am sure my hon. colleague knows that any abandonment of VIA service is subject to cabinet approval.

[Transport, May 9th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, the recovery of MIL Davie depends on a lot of things. Last week, when I met the Quebec Minister of Industry, along with my colleague, the federal Minister of Industry, it was obvious that the situation would be very difficult if the survival of MIL Davie were to depend solely on the construction of a ferry and maybe a smart ship sometime in the future. That is one of the reasons why representatives of both the Quebec and the federal governments are doing their best to find a logical and responsible solution which would help to protect jobs at MIL Davie and provide a ferry service. This is a very complex issue.

The matter is under study, but I want the hon. member to understand that no final decision has been made yet about the financial contribution of both levels of government, the ferry operator, and the contracts needed to make the smart ship construction project a viable initiative.

[Transport, May 9th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I am convinced that when the hon. member reads last Friday's Hansard , he will realize that I never said that the Department of Transport delayed its decision because it was waiting for MIL Davie's business plan.

Having said that, however, I must point out that two very important things are involved here: we must provide an adequate and safe service between Prince Edward Island and the Magdalen Islands, and we must solve the problems that MIL Davie will face at the end of the current contract for the frigates. We are very aware of what is at stake in both cases, and I want to assure the hon. member that the business plan submitted is being scrutinized by the appropriate departments and that we, in the Department of Transport, have always been prepared to participate in a solution which would meet both needs, as long as it is fiscally sound.

[Transportation In Remote Areas, May 6th, 1994]

It is a very good question, Mr. Speaker.

The need to find solutions and to prepare proposals that we can present to the House and to the people of Canada are what we are working on every day.

We expect to come before the House to present what we consider to be alternatives to existing situations, but I want to point out that the fundamental problem does not change. It is how to finance an efficient national transportation system that includes road, rail, maritime and air.

No one professes, and certainly not the Minister of Transport, to have the answer to all those problems. We have studied the problems to death. We know the solutions rest entirely on our ability to pay for that affordable integrated national transportation system. That is what we will try to present to the people of Canada and to the House as soon as we can.

[Transportation In Remote Areas, May 6th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, coming as I do from the northern part of New Brunswick, I can tell the hon. member I am quite familiar with the challenges the transportation network in Canada must meet. Over the years, public consultations in which many members took part were held about all issues concerning VIA Rail.

There is a national consensus on the need for a national highway network throughout Canada. But all those consultations and all the findings always come up against the same problem. I would be ready to hold public hearings to look for ways and means to finance the transportation services that are needed. We did identify problems, we did listen to people, and we continue to do so. We have consultations with provinces and interest groups, but the big problem nobody has ever found a way to solve is the financial problem.

[Mil Davie Shipyard, May 6th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the service between Prince Edward Island and the Magdalen Islands is absolutely essential and part of my responsibilities as Minister of Transport. We would have liked to have been able to answer months ago the legitimate request, made years ago, to replace the Lucy Maud Montgomery .

Now that a business plan has been made public, I am sure that with Minister Tremblay from Quebec, whom I met this week with my colleague the Minister of Industry, we will take all the necessary means to find a solution, not only for the people who need a ferry, but also for the workers of MIL Davie. It would help if hon. members knew the case a little better.

[Mil Davie Shipyard, May 6th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, since this matter is of great interest to the people who use the ferry, I will try to be as objective as possible.

To suggest that the Prime Minister and his chief of staff had the business plan during the election campaign, after saying it was handed to us yesterday, this is assuming that we are damn stupid.

[Mil Davie Shipyard, May 6th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I find it rather strange that in the same question the hon. member can say that the business plan of MIL Davie was given to us yesterday and then accuse me of having delayed my decision six months. Please, let us be serious.

The reason why the decision on the ferry has not been announced yet, and why the Minister of Transport is waiting, is that we want to act in the best interest of the Magdalen Islanders. We want to provide them with a ferry service between the islands and Prince Edward Island which would be adequate, effective and safe. To that end, we are trying to negotiate a solution with MIL Davie.

You should learn to be fair and to react positively to government initiatives taken precisely with a view to help you.

[Mil Davie Shipyard, May 4th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, first, the hon. member will certainly realize that the Department of Transport is not responsible for the smart ship issue. However, those who are familiar with MIL Davie's history understand how important that industry is for workers.

As regards the ferry between Prince Edward Island and the Magdalen Islands, the priority for the Department of Transport and the government of Canada is to ensure the safety of Magdalen Islanders and others who use the ferry.

Obviously, the decision as to whether MIL Davie's recovery plan will work must be made by the Quebec government and the company itself, which is trying its best to solve its problems. There is no doubt that discussions will continue. I want to assure the hon. member that the issue of safety for people who currently travel on a ship which is causing enormous problems, the Lucy Maud Montgomery , must be settled and this is something we want to do as quickly as possible. The link with the future of MIL Davie makes things more complicated, but we try to be as understanding as possible.

[Mil Davie Shipyard, May 4th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, during the meeting with the Quebec Minister of Industry, we discussed of course the need to provide an adequate ship for the transport of people, goods, trucks and cars from Prince Edward Island to the Magdalen Islands. We informed the Quebec Minister of Industry that the government of Canada intends to ensure the safety of people making that trip, and we hope to soon be able to make a decision, in co-operation with the Quebec government, as to how we can best help these people who urgently need adequate and safe services.