//www.ourcommons.ca/Parliamentarians/en/members/1818RobMerrifieldHon.Rob-MerrifieldYellowheadConservative CaucusAlberta//www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Parliamentarians/Images/OfficialMPPhotos/41/MerrifieldRob_CPC.jpgGovernment OrdersFair Rail Freight Service ActInterventionHon. Rob Merrifield (Yellowhead, CPC): (1930)[English]Mr. Speaker, my colleague on the other side just asked about the introduction of this piece of legislation. It actually started in 2008, with the rail freight service review. It was a two-year process. It was quite extensive and exhaustive, and there was enough guilt on the railway side as well as on the shippers' side when it comes to numbers to make it clear that something had to be done. This measure was first introduced—in fact, I introduced it—in March in 2012, prior to the election, and then was picked up after the election, in December. This is a piece of legislation that has come a long way and has had lots of consultation.My question for my hon. colleague is this. When the railway companies looked at this legislation initially, they fought against it, said they did not need it and said they would arrive at their service arrangements themselves. They said that it would drive negotiation away from the table. What I believe will happen is that it will drive both parties to the table, and if they cannot negotiate, it would be an arbitrated settlement. I wonder if my colleague would agree with me.Agreements and contractsC-52, An Act to amend the Canada Transportation Act (administration, air and railway transportation and arbitration)Freight transportationGovernment billsRail transportation and railwaysShippersThird reading and adoptionTransportationLarryMillerBruce—Grey—Owen SoundLarryMillerBruce—Grey—Owen SoundINTERVENTIONParliament and SessionOrder of BusinessDiscussed TopicProcedural TermPerson SpeakingProvince / TerritoryCaucusSearchResults per pageOrder byTarget search languageSide by SideMaximum returned rowsPagePUBLICATION TYPE