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.

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