A former Liberal agriculture minister says Canada's grain transportation problems need to be solved.

Ralph Goodale, the recently re-elected MP for Regina-Wascana, says it's one of the top ag issues needing to be addressed when Parliament resumes. He says Canada's rail system needs to be transparent, accountable, and geared for growth, and also talks about the Canada Transportation Act review panel's report, which is due at the end of the year.

"The government needs to be in a position to respond quickly to that report," he says. "This is a major opportunity to fix what's wrong, and we dare not let that opportunity pass by."

Goodale also says international trade will be a main concern when Parliament resumes, particularly the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). He says they don't know fully what's in the agreement because negotiations were done in secret, but says it will be important to analyze the full text when it becomes available, so they can then lay out the details for Canadians and have good debate in Parliament.

"What Canadians want to achieve, obviously, is greater, more effective market access around the world. This agreement could potentially provide access to about 40 per cent of the world's GDP, and that would be very useful. But we also at the same time — like every other country — have our sensitive sectors that we need to make sure are properly safe-guarded and protected."