Discussion · Government Orders
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Québécois
“The government is rushing big projects like high-speed rail without listening to local communities. This bill will cut through farmland and split towns apart, just like what happened in Mirabel. We do not even know what these projects will cost.”
“Madam Speaker, allow me to express my sincere thoughts for the people of Mirabel, whom I met last week. There was a public meeting attended by my hon. colleague, the member for Mirabel. At that meeting, there were people who were concerned. They were concerned about a government that wants to rush through projects of national interest, such as a high-speed rail line, like the Alto project, for which there is no social acceptability, but which the government intends to impose through legislation that would sacrifice farmland by cutting it in half and split communities in two. The people of Mirabel know the drill, and what happened has, quite simply, destroyed a once great community spirit. The scars are still fresh. We need to talk to the people of Mirabel. However, the situation that Mirabel experienced will repeat itself in Berthier—Maskinongé and in Rigaud, where we were just two weeks ago to hear the concerns of all stakeholders. Members will recall that no realistic cost estimate is available at this time for these projects. Is that what the national interest is all about, recklessly throwing our money out the window? I am very concerned.”
Madam Speaker, allow me to express my sincere thoughts for the people of Mirabel, whom I met last week. There was a public meeting attended by my hon. colleague, the member for Mirabel. At that meeting, there were people who were concerned. They were concerned about a government that wants to rush through projects of national interest, such as a high-speed rail line, like the Alto project, for which there is no social acceptability, but which the government intends to impose through legislation that would sacrifice farmland by cutting it in half and split communities in two. The people of Mirabel know the drill, and what happened has, quite simply, destroyed a once great community spirit. The scars are still fresh. We need to talk to the people of Mirabel. However, the situation that Mirabel experienced will repeat itself in Berthier—Maskinongé and in Rigaud, where we were just two weeks ago to hear the concerns of all stakeholders. Members will recall that no realistic cost estimate is available at this time for these projects. Is that what the national interest is all about, recklessly throwing our money out the window? I am very concerned.