“The finance minister said he would not take part in decisions about Alto because of a conflict of interest. He took part anyway, and his department even hired an Alto executive to write his budget speech. I want to know why.”

“Mr. Speaker, in a September letter to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance said that he would be in a conflict of interest if he participated in discussions, decisions, debates or votes related to Alto. We now know he went on to do those things anyway. What we have learned this week is that the minister’s department hired an executive from Alto to write his budget speech and budget presentation. Why?”

“The government is spending over $90 billion on a train project that takes land from farms, homes, and businesses. It also hurts the environment and ignores Via Rail. I want to know why the government will not invest in our existing services instead.”

“Mr. Speaker, as a surprise to no one, the government House leader is lowering the decorum in the House at the same time that he is also unleashing devastation on communities across Ontario and Quebec, as well as the expropriation of farms, homes, businesses and the destruction of environmentally sensitive land like the Frontenac Arch Biosphere, with a program that will cost more than $90 billion, while they let atrophy Canadian infrastructure and services like Via Rail, which services the same communities that Alto will pass by while destroying. Why will they not invest in Canada instead of destroying it?”