Thank you, Chair.
I'd like to thank all of our guests for being here today and providing their testimony and suggestions. I think it's fair to say that, as we look at the suggested amendments, it strikes me that you probably all could have come together and just done one laundry list. That might actually have been a little simpler and have provided better clarity. But we have your written submissions, so we'll certainly consider your amendments as you presented them to us.
I was struck when Minister Lebel came before us and introduced Bill C-52 and gave us some descriptive references and answered questions. And here I want to acknowledge your support, in broad terms, for our effort to put this in place. It has been a long time coming; I think you'd all acknowledge that. But if I get the best sense of what you're trying to do, it is that you're trying to take what is now going in the right direction and make it a bit tighter. That's certainly how I feel you have presented yourselves today.
I want to make reference briefly to a couple of things, and then I have a couple of questions.
What the minister said was that he felt strongly that the bill will pave the way for better commercial relationships between railways and shippers, which is ultimately the best outcome for everyone. I'm going to stop there, though, because that prompted me to ask a question recently in a previous committee meeting about how things were going as a result of this proposed bill, that is to say, in the relationship between shippers and railways.
Mr. May, you were fairly emphatic in response to Mr. Toet when you said that service has not improved. That is certainly not the impression I have received. One might collectively sense that as a result of this kind of pending legislation, stronger efforts might come forward.
Can you and maybe those who have been impacted briefly elaborate on whether you think those relationships have improved?
Mr. May, since you were so strong one way, can you briefly comment on that? Bring some clarity to my mind, please.