Lisa Raitt

[Rail Transportation, April 23rd, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, we value greatly any advice we receive from the mayor of Lac-Mégantic.

We do confirm that CMQ owns the track. We have been in touch with the people who own the track. I have instructed my officials to look into this matter. I can inform the House that the last time this track was inspected was in November 2014.

[Marine Atlantic, April 22nd, 2015]

Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, what I indicated was that the estimates were just that, they were the estimates, and that if the member wanted to speculate on what was in the budget, he did not have much longer to wait. They are two separate issues.

With respect to Marine Atlantic, we greatly support the functioning of that very important link between Newfoundland and Labrador. In fact, I guess that is a good point to point out as well. For the men and women who work on Marine Atlantic, they will very much enjoy having lower taxes and greater benefits as a result of this government, as opposed to higher taxes and less help they would get from an opposition like that.

[Rail Transportation, April 21st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, indeed, I do exactly that through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Every one of those cities that the hon. member quoted, I actually met with last week in a round table sitting in my riding at the brand new velodrome, which is funded by this government as part of the Pan Am/Parapan Am Games.

I would like to thank the Minister of State for Sport for all the good work he does on that issue.

[Marine Atlantic, April 21st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I can speak to the main estimates, but I cannot speak to the budget because we all have a wait a few more minutes for that to be unveiled. The hon. member should know that.

The main estimates are just that. They are estimates with the information that we have at that point in time. Since 2006, we have provided Marine Atlantic with significant new funding that allows it to provide a superlative service.

I am very proud of the men and women at Marine Atlantic and everything they do every day to serve the needs of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

[Marine Transportation, April 20th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, marine pilots are a very important part of our supply chain. They are uniquely qualified to be able to take vessels in Canada through those areas of specific water conditions and ensure they can avoid hazards. As a result, they play an important part.

The Canadian Transportation Act is currently being reviewed by a pre-eminent panel, chaired by David Emerson. It will be looking at the future of transportation in Canada, and I am sure this issue will come to its attention.

[The Environment, April 20th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, first, I want to commend the Canadian Coast Guard on its excellent work in cleaning up the spill and for the short period of time in responding to it.

The reason why I say this is because it is important for the House to realize and remember that for the past 20 years it is the ship transiting Canadian waters that is ultimately fully responsible for its own pollution and has a contract with responsible organizations to clean up that spill. When the spill was not identified, it was the Canadian Coast Guard that came in to do what needed to be done in an excellent way.

[Shipping, April 2nd, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I should let the hon. member know that I have brought this up with my officials already. They are looking into the matter with respect to process.

I would also like to say how refreshing it is for the member of the opposition to seek less red tape and less regulation—

[Rail Transportation, April 2nd, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of what we have accomplished as a government with respect to the improvements in rail safety in this country. It really has been unprecedented. I would encourage the hon. member to actually read what we have done so far, because it would save me the embarrassment of having to point out to him that we already did exactly that in an emergency directive last year.

[Rail Transportation, April 2nd, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I can confirm that we have received the letter.

We have encouraged the municipality to work with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, with whom we have a very strong relationship in working on its rail advisory group. I meet with it at least three to four times a year, taking its concerns into great consideration as we continuously improve rail safety in the country. We have acted on its recommendations, it has indicated that it is in agreement with the direction we are taking, and I value the relationship.

[Canada Post, April 1st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities at its 2014 annual conference at Niagara Falls was very clear with respect to this issue of community mailboxes. It overwhelmingly rejected a resolution, on a vote of 311 to 185, that we not continue with the conversion to community mailboxes.

I encourage the hon. member to speak to Canada Post on the particular issues that his town may be having with respect to the siting of the post office boxes. That is exactly what Canada Post should be doing.