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High-Speed Rail

During Statements by Members, a Conservative member spoke against the Alto high-speed rail project in the Montreal–Ottawa corridor. He said it would affect hundreds of farms and more than a thousand landowners, that it would be costly and would face challenges from Canadian winters, and he asked the government to stop the project and support a third highway link for Quebec City instead. No other members spoke on the topic in the sampled statements.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

1 statement

Jacques Gourde

Conservative

Linked statement

“I want the government to stop the high-speed rail project. It will take land from hundreds of farmers, cost too much, and struggle in Canadian winters. The government should back Quebec City's third link highway project instead.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the feedback about Alto’s high-speed rail project, which is being promoted by the Liberal Party and relatives of influential ministers, has been very negative. According to Radio-Canada, some 500 farms and 1,200 landowners will be affected in the Montreal-Ottawa corridor alone. Just imagine how many people who will be expropriated over the 1,000-kilometre route. Considering our Canadian winters, this project will almost certainly run into surprises that will affect the final bill and the train’s ability to operate. There are not many such trains running in our climate, especially at cruising speeds of 300 kilometres an hour. Governing is about making choices, and making choices without social licence would jeopardize our private, unsubsidized means of transportation in favour of a subsidized means of transportation benefiting a handful of regular travellers. I urge the government to listen to the people of Canada before it is too late to turn back. If it is really looking for a good idea to support, there is always Quebec City’s third link.

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