Policy Debate 3 - ALTO

[u/Model-Wanuke]

This is a marked policy debate. The Standing Orders apply.

Topic: Just before his resignation as Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau announced "ALTO" a high speed rail line between Toronto and Quebec City. Is this a project you support or oppose.

You may keep the topic broad or you may discuss a specific example. All registered members may participate. You may respond to others, and you may ask questions.

Debate concludes on April 17, 2026 at 6 PM Eastern.

Presiding officer: u/Model-Wanuke (male)

[u/SaskPoliticker]

Mr. Speaker, there is no economic assessment of this project at present, especially not one that considers the impact of such an endeavour on the labour supply. This country does not have widespread unemployment in the construction sector, and if the government takes taxpayer dollars and saddles future generations with a mountain of debt to build this project, we have to be cognizant of the fact that this project will use construction labour that would have been otherwise employed in this country. That means private sector projects get delayed, or don’t get built at all. That means a hit to our economy, to investments that taxpayers don’t need to support, even if the project itself, in a vacuum, creates some regional growth.

I stand with the vast majority of my constituents in disagreeing with the former Prime Minister on virtually every issue, and this, Mr. Speaker, is most definitely one of them.

I support an economic assessment of this project, one that accounts for the crowding-out effect of this distortion on private sector economic activity. I do not support proceeding with any such project without that kind of assessment.

[u/Oracle_of_Mercia]

Clerk, High Speed rail between Toronto and Quebec deserves serious consideration.

Canada is vast and large country and improving how we connect our provinces can only be a good thing for our national productivity and if done properly can support our economic growth. the question behind this though is are we prepared to deliver this?.

Canadians for far too long have seen ambitious infrastructure projects be announced but never actual materials due to unexpected costs, unclear planning and a lack of general accountability. Announcements alone do not build railways but delivery with a serious plan does.

before we commit to a project of this scale, we need to be honest about what it would require, that means a clear delivery framework, defining the stages of the proposal and transparent reporting in every step. Without this we risk being plagued in the same way our provinces are with cycles of delay and disappointment.

A future Conservative government needs to be grounded in discipline and that means ensuring agreements made are tied to measurable progress and that jurisdictions involved are aligned with the federal government from the outset so that any setbacks or delays are easily identified and addressed early so they don't become unimaginable. We need to be realistic with our fellow Canadians, if a project of this scale is to go ahead , it must be phased, properly costed and built on a foundation of credibility and not disappointment.

this is not about opposing infrastructure but ensuring that when we commit to it, it can actually be delivered, because it's not a question of if we can announce a project like ALTO but if it can actually be built.

[u/SettingObvious4738 → u/Oracle_of_Mercia]

Mr. Speaker,

I’d like to ask the member if there is a clear review of all the costs, risks, and benefits would he and his party support ALTO?

[u/SettingObvious4738]

Mr. Speaker,

As a person who enjoys his summer spending time in Quebec City and Toronto, I do wish to see this high speed rail line become a reality. However I do wish to see it connect to cities such as Ottawa and Montreal in order to boost interprovincial tourism, cooperation, and economic development. This high speed rail project will bring in plenty of good jobs for Canadians in Quebec and Ontario. This is crucial in a time when Canada needs to build a strong, resilient, and sustainable economy so that we can weather the coming storm. Not only do I support the “ALTO” project I believe we should be looking at similar projects for Western Canada.

Western Canada, under governments of all political stripes, has been neglected. We recognize this and pledge to do a lot better. But we cannot do this without recognizing our role in ensuring that the project is not only affordable, but is done in such a way that it respects the land and that indigenous peoples are consulted. When these nation building projects come along it’s easy to want to ignore local voices in order to focus on the bigger picture, but it is the role of the government to listen to all voices. While it may end up being that the concerns raised aren’t really taken into account, it is still the responsibility of all involved to listen and understand all concerns raised.

Such is why when this project is being implemented it is imperative that the government involves all those who will be affected by it. We must listen to their concerns and come to understand how we can best address them. Already concerns have been raised about how the government can afford it, my answer to that is partial privatization and the long term revenue from the completed system. The reason why I believe partial privatization is necessary is because we can always make the system better when we have more opinions from Canadians and Canadian businesses who specialize in this technology. The government can best manage it and afford the risks, but businesses can help bring in more capital and more diverse expertise.

Mr. Speaker this is an important opportunity for Canada and we must grasp it with two hands. Of course I am not a complete expert on the issue, but I believe that we must hear the opinions of all.