Speech (House debate)

{
    "time": "2015-03-27 00:00:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Mr. Bernard Trottier (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and for La Francophonie, CPC)",
        "fr": "M. Bernard Trottier (secr\u00e9taire parlementaire du ministre des Affaires \u00e9trang\u00e8res et pour la Francophonie, PCC)"
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"4026986\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Speaker, at the outset, I would like to acknowledge the hard work of the member for <a data-HoCid=\"170430\" href=\"/politicians/bryan-hayes/\" title=\"Bryan Hayes\">Sault Ste. Marie</a> on this file for his constituents.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4026987\" data-originallang=\"en\">It is often said that Canada is a country that is tied together by its railways. We have one of the largest rail networks in the world. With some 48,000 kilometres of track, it could circle the globe. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4026988\" data-originallang=\"en\">For over a century, Algoma Central Railway has played a part in the network, providing passenger train service to numerous people in this area. The ACR passenger rail service runs almost 500 kilometres between Sault Ste. Marie and Hearst. In particular, it has served the canoeists, snowmobilers, cottagers and tourists who wish to travel to the beautiful wilderness recreation sports that this region offers.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4026989\" data-originallang=\"en\"> As the member is aware, budget 2013 renewed funding for the Algoma Central Railway for a period of one year, until March 31, 2014. As the <a data-HoCid=\"194617\" href=\"/politicians/lisa-raitt/\" title=\"Lisa Raitt\">Minister of Transport</a> announced last year, our government was pleased to extend funding for another year, to March 31 , 2015, to continue operation of the the Algoma Central Railway. This funding gave local stakeholders time to explore sustainable, long-term solutions for passenger rail service in the area.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4026990\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Over the past year, the Algoma Central Railway passenger service working group has been examining the feasibility of continuing the service and has identified a potential new operator. Recently Transport Canada received a proposal to provide temporary funding support. The <a data-HoCid=\"194617\" href=\"/politicians/lisa-raitt/\" title=\"Lisa Raitt\">Minister of Transport</a> has asked departmental officials to examine the proposal and the process is under way. The proposed new operator will also require a railway operating certificate. That request was submitted to officials last week and officials need adequate time to conduct their review. This work by officials is essential to ensure that the proposed passenger rail operation is safe for all Canadians before beginning operations, and that any funding provided is an effective use of taxpayer dollars.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4026991\" data-originallang=\"en\"> The Government of Canada has no role in operating the Algoma Central Railway. The current operator, CN, is a private company that makes its own decisions concerning its operations, and which services and routes are offered to its customers. Similarly, the potential new operator must also make a thoughtful decision regarding whether or not to proceed. Any decision to terminate the Algoma Central Railway between Sault Ste. Marie and Hearst will be a business decision made by the owner or operator of the Algoma Central Railway.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4026992\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Lastly, I would like to remind all members that this government has supported and will continue to support the transportation needs of northern Ontario. In the transportation sector alone, we have committed more than $150 million to improve northern Ontario's highways, rail infrastructure and border crossings since 2006. </p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"4026986\" data-originallang=\"en\">D'entr\u00e9e de jeu, monsieur le Pr\u00e9sident, je tiens \u00e0 souligner dans ce dossier l'excellent travail du d\u00e9put\u00e9 de <a data-HoCid=\"170430\" href=\"/politicians/bryan-hayes/\" title=\"Bryan Hayes\">Sault Ste. Marie</a> pour ses concitoyens.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4026987\" data-originallang=\"en\">On dit souvent que les chemins de fer sont l'\u00e9pine dorsale du Canada. Nous avons en effet l'un des plus vastes r\u00e9seaux ferroviaires du monde: avec ses 48 000 kilom\u00e8tres de voies ferr\u00e9es, il pourrait faire le tour de la Terre.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4026988\" data-originallang=\"en\">Depuis plus d'un si\u00e8cle, l'Algoma Central Railway constitue un maillon de ce r\u00e9seau en offrant des services passagers aux nombreux habitants de la r\u00e9gion. Le service ferroviaire voyageurs de cette entreprise s'\u00e9tend sur environ 500 kilom\u00e8tres entre Sault Ste. Marie et Hearst. Il est particuli\u00e8rement appr\u00e9ci\u00e9 des cano\u00e9istes, des motoneigistes, des propri\u00e9taires de chalet et des touristes d\u00e9sireux de d\u00e9couvrir la beaut\u00e9 sauvage ainsi que les activit\u00e9s r\u00e9cr\u00e9atives et sportives que propose la r\u00e9gion.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4026989\" data-originallang=\"en\"> La d\u00e9put\u00e9e n'est pas sans savoir que le budget de 2013 a renouvel\u00e9 pour un an, c'est-\u00e0-dire jusqu'au 31 mars 2014, l'enveloppe destin\u00e9e \u00e0 l'Algoma Central Railway. Comme la <a data-HoCid=\"194617\" href=\"/politicians/lisa-raitt/\" title=\"Lisa Raitt\">ministre des Transports</a> l'a annonc\u00e9 l'an dernier, le gouvernement a \u00e9t\u00e9 ravi de prolonger ce financement d'une ann\u00e9e, jusqu'au 31 mars 2015, afin de maintenir les services de l'Algoma Central Railway pour donner aux intervenants locaux le temps d'envisager des solutions viables afin de p\u00e9renniser le service ferroviaire voyageurs dans la r\u00e9gion.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4026990\" data-originallang=\"en\">Dans la derni\u00e8re ann\u00e9e, le groupe de travail sur le service voyageurs de l'Algoma Central Railway s'est pench\u00e9 sur l'\u00e9ventuel maintien du service et a trouv\u00e9 un nouvel exploitant. R\u00e9cemment, Transports Canada a re\u00e7u une proposition d'aide temporaire au financement. La <a data-HoCid=\"194617\" href=\"/politicians/lisa-raitt/\" title=\"Lisa Raitt\">ministre des Transports</a> a demand\u00e9 \u00e0 ses fonctionnaires de l'\u00e9tudier, et le processus est en cours. Le nouvel exploitant propos\u00e9 aura \u00e9galement besoin d'un certificat d'exploitation ferroviaire. La demande a \u00e9t\u00e9 envoy\u00e9e aux responsables la semaine derni\u00e8re, qui auront besoin d'un d\u00e9lai raisonnable pour leur \u00e9tude. Les efforts d\u00e9ploy\u00e9s par les responsables sont essentiels si l'on veut garantir la s\u00fbret\u00e9 du service ferroviaire voyageurs pour tous les Canadiens avant le d\u00e9but des op\u00e9rations et que tout financement fourni constituera une utilisation judicieuse des deniers publics.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4026991\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le gouvernement Canada n'a rien \u00e0 voir dans l'exploitation de l'Algoma Central Railway. Le CN, l'exploitant actuel, est une soci\u00e9t\u00e9 priv\u00e9e qui prend ses propres d\u00e9cisions concernant ses activit\u00e9s, notamment quelles lignes elle souhaite mettre \u00e0 la disposition de ses clients. Pareillement, le nouvel exploitant aura lui aussi \u00e0 r\u00e9fl\u00e9chir \u00e0 la marche \u00e0 suivre avant de prendre une d\u00e9cision. La d\u00e9cision de cesser d'exploiter l'Algoma Central Railway qui relie Sault Ste. Marie \u00e0 Hearst est une d\u00e9cision d'affaires qui reviendra soit au propri\u00e9taire, soit \u00e0 l'exploitant, de l'Algoma Central Railway.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4026992\" data-originallang=\"en\">En dernier lieu, j'aimerais rappeler \u00e0 tous les d\u00e9put\u00e9s que le gouvernement a toujours r\u00e9pondu aux besoins des habitants du Nord de l'Ontario en mati\u00e8re de transports et qu'il continuera d'y r\u00e9pondre. Depuis 2006, dans le seul secteur des transports, nous avons investi plus de 150 millions de dollars pour am\u00e9liorer les autoroutes du Nord de l'Ontario, son infrastructure ferroviaire et ses postes frontaliers.</p>"
    },
    "url": "/debates/2015/3/26/bernard-trottier-9/",
    "politician_url": "/politicians/bernard-trottier/",
    "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/4079/",
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "8632310",
    "h1": {
        "en": "Adjournment Proceedings",
        "fr": "Motion D'Ajournement"
    },
    "h2": {
        "en": "Rail Transportation",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "document_url": "/debates/2015/3/26/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fdebates%2F2015%2F3%2F26%2F"
    }
}