Transport committee  Mr. Laframboise, some companies that provide public transit services, such as in Montreal, are owned by the municipality. If Montreal wants to acquire a corridor for its public transit company, it can do so. That is already covered. That applies to any other city, such as Gatineau.

Transport committee  I don't believe the definition includes any such restriction. It give priority to authorities covering several communities, such as the MTA. However, in a small town which may have two buses, the city owns the bus service company. Even here in Ottawa, OC Transpo is owned by the City of Ottawa.

Transport committee  If it crosses a provincial jurisdiction.

Transport committee  Right.

Transport committee  We're adding an in-between, an urban transit authority, because there are numerous urban transit authorities, such as the ones that appeared before this committee--

Transport committee  --that cross numerous municipalities. They provide transit. It's a point Monsieur Carrier was making, that we want to preserve these for transit and then the municipality.

Transport committee  I think that would--

Transport committee  No, it's after. Reading the motion, it's after the urban transit authority, so it would come before municipalities.

Transport committee  So in effect it would be giving them priority over municipalities. I'm reading NDP-16.

Transport committee  I think we need to clarify. What we are suggesting here is that the municipality has the decision-making authority for any of these groups, and in this process what it's outlining is how the offer has to be made. If an interest group has an interest other than transportation, they go to the municipality, but the municipality has to get the offer and the municipality makes the final decision.

Transport committee  Yes, but I think what Mr. Julian is asking us to add in here is yet a fifth level of offer to an entity that is not a legal entity, and we have no idea who they are. It could be, as somebody said, one person, and in the end this entity does not have the financial wherewithal to buy this corridor, right?

Transport committee  That's right.

Transport committee  It would be the entire agreement, unless there is something that is commercially confidential.

Transport committee  I can't read her mind either, but I can give you what we pulled off from the Competition Act, if that's helpful. I have no problem with doing that.

Transport committee  I can read what's in the Competition Act for you, if you like. The wording is almost identical.