Transport committee  Yes. I have massively, a lot. I share the frustrations of your constituents. I would suggest to you that the current relationship between municipalities and the railroad is one that's based on unhelpful conflict. The understanding is that the business of railroading is essential to the success of the nation and that it is in fundamental opposition to the project of living well within a community.

Transport committee  There has to be a much more collaborative environment established. Railroads would be more willing to come to the table if it were understood that their success is a municipality's success, rather than their being fundamentally in opposition. There are still conversations ongoing today.

Transport committee  The safety issues associated with rail are very much like the environmental issues associated with rail. It is a point source of pollution, absolutely, and we have to make sure that we green that point source of pollution and we have to make sure that as we cluster development around the rail we're a lot more thoughtful about how we do that.

Transport committee  It's been proven across North America for the last three decades. The fiscal, climate and social challenges of the automobile-scaled city were identified, and we started moving more toward transit-oriented development. The reality is that public investment in transit infrastructure is the single biggest driver of tax base, walkability, climate action, social inclusion and social equity.

Transport committee  There is a lot to answer there. Climate change is going to affect every ecosystem in Canada in a very different way. We are on a high-plains desert in Calgary and a river runs through our community that is 160 kilometres from its glacial source. The Bow River is one of the hardest-working water courses in Canada.

Transport committee  I represent the east Calgary communities of Ward 9. It is the home to a lot of the rail infrastructure and also home to CP Rail's world headquarters. I'm also one of the longest-standing members of council, now four terms in, elected alongside Mayor Nenshi in 2010. I've spent the last 11 years of my life developing a more robust relationship with CP Rail than the city has ever enjoyed.

Transport committee  I believe that some goods should be shipped by pipeline, because doing that is way safer than shipping by rail. Some things should be shipped by rail, and I would also suggest to you that the majority of things we ship are shipped by truck. The estimates are that shipping something by rail is 250 times more efficient and less carbon intensive than shipping something by truck.

Transport committee  Thank you. This is going to be a bit different from the first section. I hope it provokes some interesting conversation. My position is that the railroad, and particularly the Canadian Pacific Railroad, was a P3 project that physically built the nation of Canada. Today we require significantly lower-carbon approaches to almost every component of modern life if we are to survive and thrive as a continentally scaled project of civilization in an age of increasing climate instability.