Impact Assessment Act  Mr. Speaker, I was looking for the number. I think it was probably 70 or 90 sessions where we met with people. We tried our best to do a consultation on the navigable waters because we understood just how critical it was for Canadians. It was so important that we reached out to all those communities and gave them the opportunity to participate in this process.

Impact Assessment Act  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for her work in this field. It is really important that we look at water in that context. It is so critical to our lives and to our Canadian experience. Whether it is kayaking or fishing or canoeing, it is something very near and dear to Canadians' hearts.

Impact Assessment Act  Mr. Speaker, what was behind this was that we saw a need as well to increase the number of navigable waters that were protected. We found that if all we did was protect what was on the schedule that was not near enough. I think the number I have seen is almost 100,000 named waterways in Canada, and to expand that protection to those waterways is so very critical.

Impact Assessment Act  Mr. Speaker, during this entire process, we wanted to hear from as many Canadians as possible. We did not want to limit who had the opportunity to come and give their input to this process. In my opinion and in my background, the more people who can contribute to something, the stronger it will be.

Impact Assessment Act  Mr. Speaker, I would first and foremost like to thank the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development for its careful study of Bill C-69. I would also like to thank the witnesses and those who have made written submissions for having taken the time to make their views heard.

Marine Transportation  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question. The residents of La Romaine on the lower north shore are our priority. The minister's office has reached out to the local representative, and we remain in contact with Relais Nordik on this file. We will ensure that the necessary work is completed as quickly as possible to fix this situation.

Grandmothers Advocacy Network  Mr. Speaker, I stand today to welcome the amazing women who have come to the House from across the country representing the Grandmothers Advocacy Network, or GRAN. GRAN is a phenomenal organization that is actively involved in advocating for the human rights of grandmothers and their children.

Transport  Mr. Speaker, we do realize that noise from aircraft must be managed, while ensuring that aviation safety is not compromised. We try to encourage operators to work with local residents in an effort to have their noise complaints addressed. They are best handled at the local level, given that local representatives and airport officials have intimate knowledge of regional matters and are best able to address local concerns.

Rail Transportation  Mr. Speaker, our priority remains with the safety and well-being of the people of Churchill and northern Manitoba. We will continue to support our chief negotiator in this. As I am sure the member understands that negotiating in public would be irresponsible. We do not want a repeat of what happened and led to this current situation.

Rail Transportation  Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, what we want is a comprehensive, long-term solution that will best serve the people of Churchill and northern Manitoba. That is exactly what we are working toward. The work of the chief negotiator is very important in this process. We are going to make this happen, but negotiating in public would be irresponsible.

Rail Transportation  Madam Speaker, Canadians expect a travel system that is safe, efficient and reliable for all travellers. Our government understands that intercity passenger rail services are important to the communities involved. That is why we are conducting an in-depth assessment of Via Rail’s high-frequency rail proposal to ensure that it is the right fit for Canadians.

Rail Transportation  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question. I more than welcome the opportunity to highlight the importance that our government places on maintaining and developing a safe, efficient and reliable transportation system for travellers. Meeting the needs of travellers is at the heart of the strategic plan for the future of transportation in Canada, and our government is working hard to ensure that everyone has better choices and better services when they travel.

Transportation  Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the member that we are in the process of creating a secure and safe transportation system. We have invested in the Canadian Navigable Waters Act. We are aware of certain situations and we are working hard to make sure that they are addressed in a timely manner.

Transportation Modernization Act  Mr. Speaker, again, it is important that we do the study and look at each element of the overall transportation system, but we cannot just do it in isolation. We have to figure out how it connects into the system as the greater whole, and that is what we have done. We have tried to look at things in isolation so we can get into the depth and into the detail to ensure we understand it properly.

Transportation Modernization Act  Mr. Speaker, the government has accepted amendments from the parliamentary committee and from the other place, and when possible, we do. However, the long-term study of the transportation system of Canada has been going on for years. We have experts who come to committee, we have experts who testify, and we also have experts within the department itself.