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Rail Transportation

During Question Period on rail transportation, the Conservative leader said the government is spending $90 billion on a high-speed rail project without consulting farmers, that it would cross Quebec farmland and bypass regional communities, and that a rail organization with no track built has 13 vice-presidents who received $2.3 million in bonuses, with costs he put at $4,000 per family. The Prime Minister replied that high-speed rail was part of the Liberal platform that Quebeckers voted for, that it would create over 50,000 jobs and add over $37 billion to GDP, that the corridor would be only 60 metres wide, and that it is the largest infrastructure project in the country’s history.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

4 statements

Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“The Prime Minister is spending $90 billion on a high-speed train that hurts Quebec farms and leaves out local towns. I want to know why he is doing this without talking to farmers.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are paying the price for having the only recession in the G20. Now the Prime Minister is forcing Canadians to pay $90 billion for a high-speed rail project that will destroy farms in Quebec, all without consulting farmers. Communities in regional Quebec will pay the price, yet they will not even get a station. Why is the Prime Minister sacrificing Quebec’s regions for yet another Liberal white elephant?

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Mark Carney

Liberal
“Quebec voters supported our plan for high-speed rail. It will create more than 50,000 jobs and add over $37 billion to the economy.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers voted for a Liberal government in the last election. They elected 44 Liberal MPs in Quebec, and high-speed rail was part of the Liberal election platform in that province. High-speed rail will create over 50,000 jobs, contribute over $37 billion to GDP and bring a more prosperous and sustainable future for Quebec.

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Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“The government is spending money on a railway that has built nothing. The bosses got big bonuses, farmers will lose their land, and each family will have to pay $4,000. Why is the Prime Minister doing this during a recession?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it just creates jobs for their Liberal friends. This “phantom” railway already has 13 vice-presidents, all of whom have received a $2.3-million bonus, even though not a single inch of track has been laid in Canada. Now, the Prime Minister wants to force farmers to lose their land and charge every Canadian family $4,000. Why is he proposing yet another white elephant when we are already in a recession?

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Mark Carney

Liberal
“We need to support this train project. It is the biggest building project in Canada's history, and it will make Quebec and Canada stronger.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we need to support large-scale national projects. The corridor will be only 60 metres wide, but it is the largest infrastructure project in the country’s history. Now is the time to build Quebec strong and build Canada strong, and we are going to do it.

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