BRITISH COLUMBIA OTTAWA ORS § Room 780, Contederation Building ee Ae 22642 Lougheed Highway a Maple Ridge, 8.C. V2X 2V1 House of Commons Ottawa K1A OAS HOUSE OF COMMONS (604) 462-8201 (613) 992-0511 CHAMSRE DES COMMUNES OTTAWA, CANADA KIA OAG Gerry St Germain, M.P. U N C | Mission ~ Port Moody - vent! an, ” CHAIRMAN GOVERNMENT CAUCUS MAR 17 1986 March 4, 1986 Mayor Len Traboulay City of Port Coquitlam 2272 McAllister Avenue Port Coquitlam, B.C. V3C 2A7 Dear Mayor oulay: You will, no doubt, recall discussions we have had with my colleague Transport Minister Don Mazankowski- concerning commuter rail and the possibility of enacting legislation to give commuter rail services a statuatory basis under federal jurisdiction. You will be pleased to know that on February 25, the Minister introduced in the House of Commons Bill C-97, a bill to create a National Rail Passenger Transportation Act. Provisions of Bill C-97 specifically address the area of commuter rail services. AS you are aware, C.N. Rail and C.P. Rail are currently under no obligation by statute to provide commuter rail services or to allow such services the use of their tracks. This fact has been a major impedement to the establishment of commuter rail line on the C.P.R. mainline between downtown Vancouver and the northeast sector. This Bill imposes new obligations on C.N. and C.P., most of which are comparable to those applicable to VIA Rail Services. weef2