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ational Dream Renewed Programme Harry Gow, founding president, Transport Action Canada Transport Action Canada sponsors a public participation programme called “The National Dream Renewed” (NDR) to give voice to Canadians about their VIA Rail passenger service and to provide information on VIA’s limited mandate, its current weak status, its declining funding and its shrinking network. Growing obsolescence of its motive power and rolling stock and station closures are among other concerns aired at a series of town hall meetings across Ontario from Kingston to Sarnia and Thunder Bay and in several communities in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, from Halifax to Edmundston (last-named in French). The first phase of events described above helped spark an in- depth study of railway development opportunities in New Impromptu "Save our train!" rally on the Ocean (see back page) Brunswick, focussing on retention and revitalisation of the Trip report - Port-Daniel-Gascons (Gaspé) route of the VIA Ocean - the original Intercolonial Railway - Harry Gow with Justin Babcock and manufacturing activity to fill the gap left by the untimely demise of the Industrial Rail Services facility in Moncton. Background: The same consultant, Greg Gormick, was retained by Readers know that VIA Rail Canada has shut 25 stations in the Transport Action for the first phase, and then by a consortium last months, many of them on the Gaspé Peninsula and in New of municipalities and regional interests for the study. Brunswick. While pressure from TRAQ and Transport Action A second phase has now begun with Harry Gow addressing a may have contributed to a stay of execution for the Charny town hall meeting in Port Daniel - Gascons, in the Gaspésie Station and one other, the situation took an even more Region, leading to an alliance of the New Brunswick Save the dramatic turn when VIA abruptly suspended service of Train campaign and the Gaspésians working to get their train the (former) Chaleur train and its connecting bus from New back; and it continued with a series of meetings in Sudbury Carlisle to Gaspé. (with the MTO), Sault Ste Marie, Wawa and Hearst. With this dramatic background, the Coalition for the Gaspé The latter three were town hall meetings to help the train, which had held a successful meeting at Port-Daniel, communities affected by an unexpected and hurried cut of organized another at nearby Gascons for Thursday, October funding to CN for the Algoma Central Railway’s regular 24th, to give voice to the local people whose lives are passenger service through this roadless wilderness area. disrupted by the loss of the train, and to maintain pressure for People from all over the Algoma region and even Windsor and its return. Michigan were in the crowd at Sault Ste. Marie, as a lot of The tracks on which it runs from Matapedia east have had people would lose all access to their summer homes, resorts, their problems, including the effects of brine used for camps and trap lines if Transport Canada’s funding cut is vegetation control on the grade crossing signals, giving VIA a carried out. pretext to "suspend" service. The counties-owned railway Initial fund-raising by Elizabeth Hill brought in substantial claims it has restored these to safe functioning, and has had it funds last year, with some generous help from members and inspected to prove that and it claims that Transport Canada supporters, enough to keep the programme going in 2014, and agrees, so VIA now seems to be dragging its feet and has not amounts from British Columbia and Prairie groups have been restored service. The Coalition headed by Cynthia Patterson set aside for a series of town hall meetings planned for late and MP Phil Toone has been applying pressure to ensure VIA April and early May 2014 in Vancouver (and perhaps the returns the train to the line soon. Island), Edmonton, Melville and Winnipeg. Any members in Travel to Campbellton: Western Canada who wish to offer help organising in the places named - and perhaps others - are requested to contact With all this in mind, I set out on VIA train 22 from St- the author of these lines at: [email protected]. Lambert Québec to link up with Cynthia Patterson of the Gaspé region. Cynthia met me at la Gare du Palais, Québec Charitable donations to Transport Action Canada for the and took me up the hill for dinner with her family, National Dream Renewed programme are always welcome. including Cynthia's spouse Dennis Drainville, (Anglican They will support town hall meetings in more communities Bishop of Québec); he in turn took me to Dufferin Terrace to across the country. You may use the enclosed cut-out form watch the Queen Elizabeth II leave port and dramatically turn and envelope to mail your donation to Transport Action, or go in the middle of the St. Lawrence. to PayPal.com to donate to [email protected]. Please accept our thanks in advance for any such assistance. In the evening Cynthia and I took a taxi to Charny station, where we were met by a delegation of TRAQ and Transport March 2014 6 Transport Action 35-1 Action members including stalwart André Filion. We just useful connection was made with the Northern New missed seeing L-F Garceau, who arrived after we boarded Brunswick rail passenger advocates, and a meeting between about 2200 (10 p m). The Renaissance Ocean had the usual Coalition heads and the counties' railway company was held lounge where we had a glass of wine, before going to explore just before the main one to help coordinate strategy. Transport the transition car and the trailing Tweedsmuir Park car. The Action and NDR made their points, and hopefully injected the train was full and before turning in we remarked that we were wider VIA context and national policy considerations into the glad that David Jeanes had reserved the last two (!) sleeper group's thinking. cabins for us. The ride was smooth and we slept. I woke up Thanks: briefly at 5:40 am in time to see the long wooden station at Matapedia where we halted briefly. The Ocean reached The writer wishes to thank Cynthia Patterson for getting me Campbellton on time and we were off the train by 7:10 and on invited, and both her and Phil Toone for all their hard work in our way to the Tim Horton’s at the north end of the setting up the meeting. I also wish to thank the Patterson- station/commercial building where we awaited our New Drainville family and the MacWhirters for their hospitality, Brunswick colleagues. Marc and Justin for the ride and Marc again for running the PowerPoint projection! Thanks to VIA and Pascan for smooth (From here I'll turn over the narrative to Justin Babcock of on-time trips, to David Jeanes for arranging my VIA segments Campbellton): and to Transport Action Canada for sponsoring me both ways "Hello team, Just like to say we had a good trip on the and Cynthia on the VIA trip. Enfin, merci à Jacinthe! Gaspésie! Marc and I met up with Cynthia Patterson and Harry Gow early Thursday morning after they got off the train New Brunswick rail study released in Campbellton. We had some great conversations on our way Ted Bartlett, Director, Transport Action Canada to Port Daniel-Gascons. Cynthia and Harry have been in the All three levels of government should work together to saving train business for many, many years and are very address the rail industry crisis in New Brunswick, according to knowledgeable. a comprehensive document released by Transport Action Once in Port Daniel we helped them set up for their meeting. Atlantic on January 21. The report, prepared for TAA by At the meeting I got up and spoke about our group in English consultant Greg Gormick, was jointly funded by the and Marc did the same in French. The meeting went well, with municipalities of Moncton, Dieppe, Riverview, Miramichi and Harry making the Transport Action presentation, and the Bathurst, and by Enterprise Greater Moncton. It addresses President of the Gaspé Railway Society speaking as well as three issues: the proposed abandonment by CN of 139 miles of MP Phil Toone. Many Gaspésians also spoke about their track that would leave Bathurst and Miramichi entirely concerns. About 50 people were in attendance, and quite a few without rail freight service; the deteriorated state of Atlantic media. Canada’s last remaining rail passenger service; and the forced bankruptcy of Moncton’s Industrial Rail Services Inc. We also we able to speak with Phil about our petition, and as Greg Gormick mentioned, he is willing to help us. He would like to meet us soon to discuss this issue. Our group's presence made news headlines on CBC and Marc made the TV on TVA-CHAU. It was a great trip for our group and connected ties with the Gaspé group which is important on our fight to save the trains." From this point I shall recount the rest: In my view, based on assessing numbers in U of O classrooms, I would say the crowd was closer to 70, but not to worry, they were vocal and engaged at whatever number. I would also like to mention that the assistant NDP Transport critic, Hoang Mai came and spoke in support of the Coalition. He also took a lot of notes and said he had learned a lot from the meeting. One of the reporters present was Gilles Gagné for Le Soleil. As a former railroader he has always remained in touch with Transport Action Canada and TRAQ. Thanks to Peer reviewer Howard Easton (l.) and Transport Action Luc Côté and Marcus Garnet for mounting our PowerPoint Atlantic VP Ted Bartlett (r.) present an advance copy of the presentations, which were well-received by all. NB Rail report to New Brunswick Premier David Alward. For the return trip, after an overnight stay in the Gîte MacDale The consultant emphasizes that continued rail service is an B & B at Hope, QC and a drive by my hostess I took a red-eye economic necessity for New Brunswick’s North Shore, but flight (lve. 6:45 am) to St-Hubert airport via Mont-Joli and suggests that the business model embraced by CN may not be Québec (arr. 9:45). Jacinthe kindly picked me up and ferried the most effective delivery method, either from a cost or me back to St-Lambert station, where I picked up my car. customer service perspective. Furthermore, he says, the line through Bathurst and Miramichi is essential to the viability of Conclusion: continued rail passenger service between the Maritimes and The Coalition meeting was a success, and had heavy media central Canada. An alternate routing using CN’s main freight coverage all the way from Campbellton to Québec City. A line through New Brunswick is not a practical option. March 2014 7 Transport Action 35-1 The report points to a growing trend throughout the United reconstitute its board of directors to include expertise in rail States toward both federal and state support of strategic rail operations and passenger transportation. infrastructure projects, noting nearby examples in Maine Transport Action Atlantic is also advising municipalities that where both freight and passenger services have been they need to become more assertive on rail service, and successfully rejuvenated. The efficiency of rail transportation advocate strongly for fulfillment of the recommendations offers extremely important benefits and incentives to industrial contained in the report which they made possible. While development, warning that without rail, northern New railways are traditionally a matter of federal jurisdiction, there Brunswick could be at considerable disadvantage. is a role for communities to play. They should insist that they The key recommendations include a careful examination of all be consulted when service decisions are being made, and ownership and operational alternatives for the endangered CN encourage the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to Newcastle Subdivision – including engaging a qualified intensify its efforts to make rail passenger service an issue of shortline company to manage the service – and verification of national concern. CN’s estimated track rehabilitation costs by a competent The complete report can be accessed on Transport Action independent third party. If public funds are to be used for rail Atlantic’s website at http://atlantic.trasport-action.ca upgrading, there must be assurance in return that the taxpayers’ investment will be protected over the long term. NB and CN cut a deal, but Feds won’t buy in VIA Rail’s Ocean should be returned to a daily schedule as Just days after Transport Action Atlantic released its landmark quickly as possible, the report urges, citing research by report, one of the key recommendations became reality – at Amtrak for a similar route in the U.S., projecting greatly least in part. But it wasn’t enough to ensure the future of rail increased ridership along with improved crew and equipment passenger service in the Maritimes. utilization would substantially reduce the cost per passenger mile. In fact, the Amtrak study predicted the overall public CN and the Province of New Brunswick have reached a deal funding requirement for more than doubling the frequency to preserve and upgrade 95 endangered miles on the would increase by less than 10 percent. Newcastle Subdivision of the former Intercolonial Railway. The agreement will see the Province invest $25 million in The report says VIA management has completely failed to infrastructure improvements over the next five years that will recognize that the true value of long-haul passenger trains ensure continued freight service to Miramichi and Bathurst. In today lies in the service they provide to intermediate return, CN has pledged up to $30 million for maintenance and communities along the route – rather than merely linking the operation of two sections of threatened line for 15 years. end-points. For this reason, the train is of particular value to places such as Miramichi, Bathurst and Campbellton, where Unfortunately, a 44-mile stretch between those two small other public transportation options are limited. North Shore cities has no on-line freight customers, and the railway still plans to proceed with abandonment proceedings The document urges that the use of the problematic British- for that portion. But that section of track is critical for built Renaissance equipment on the Ocean be discontinued or passenger service; VIA Rail’s Ocean has been the only train minimized to the fullest practical extent, to improve using those rails for more than a year. operational efficiency and flexibility and make the train more attractive to passengers. Much of the reliable and proven stainless-steel fleet previously employed remains idle for a large portion of the year, and could be used to great advantage in Atlantic Canada, the consultant says. The collapse of Industrial Rail Services Inc. is blamed on a “toxic” relationship that developed over time between the company and VIA Rail, as a result of numerous mistakes made by both parties in executing three railcar rebuilding contracts. Gormick believes, however, that the enterprise can be salvaged, urging intervention by the minister of transport to initiate the process. He argues that the provincial government has made a substantial investment in IRSI; that the company had been providing valuable employment for 240 skilled tradespeople in Moncton; and that VIA has an ongoing need – at least in the short term – for refurbishing and repair of its aging equipment. But the ultimate solution to the passenger railway’s woes, the report argues, is a long-term plan to re-equip the company with modern, functional, comfortable and cost-efficient rolling The ominous dotted line on this CN handout map stock. Furthermore, it’s time to introduce a long-overdue act could spell the end of all rail passenger service tothe of Parliament to properly establish VIA as a full Crown Maritimes, as early as July of this year. corporation with a clearly-defined mandate, rights and With the statutory abandonment process already underway, obligations, supported by stable year-to-year funding, and to the Province has apparently drawn a line in the sand, and March 2014 8 Transport Action 35-1 challenged the Government of Canada to come up with a contribution to keep the entire subdivision intact. CN says for that to happen an additional $10-million investment will be necessary, the railway isn’t prepared to do it. Premier David Alward and Transportation Minister Claude Williams point out that rail passenger service is really a federal responsibility, and the cash-strapped provincial government has already pressed its resources to the limit with its contribution for freight service. But so far there’s been no sign that federal funding will be forthcoming, with Transport Minister Lisa Raitt and Rob Moore, New Brunswick’s regional minister, both saying little beyond the obvious facts that the regulatory process is unfolding and that CN is a private business. Minister Raitt continues to maintain that VIA is an arms-length Crown corporation and makes its own business decisions. Minister Mayor Gerry Cormier and several members of his council, Moore has gone farther, saying that the Harper Government other community leaders and interested citizens with Bruce has already committed a billion dollars in capital to VIA, and Hyer (4th from right) and New Brunswick Green Party Leader has no more to give – without acknowledging that none of that David Coon on the station platform in Miramichi, NB. expenditure has found its way to Atlantic Canada. VIA, for its part, says it has no intention of investing in or buying the track. But the clock is ticking rapidly. CN has confirmed that unless there is intervention from some quarter, the 44 miles will be abandoned as of July 8, and the legendary Ocean will make its last run almost 110 years to the day after its 1904 inauguration. It would mark the end of all rail passenger service east of Quebec City. Even though some have pointed out that there is an alternate rail route between Moncton and Montreal, the provincial government’s consultant concurs with Transport Action Atlantic’s findings – rerouting passenger service over the Napadogan Subdivision, CN’s main freight route to the Maritimes, isn’t an option. Members of Parliament from all parties are adopting various strategies – some louder than others – in an effort to persuade the Harper Government to commit the needed funds. They are supported by municipalities and chambers of commerce all Mayor Robert Small and Deputy Mayor Lisa Emery with along the Ocean route, and by a petition organized by the several other councillors, Transport Action’s Dennis Campbellton-based citizens coalition Save our Trains in Livingstone, and MPs Robert Chisholm, Phil Toone, and Northern New Brunswick that now boasts nearly 25,000 Megan Leslie during a brief station stop in Amherst, NS. signatures. MPs ride Maritime rails to support the Ocean Twice in three weeks, crowds of passenger rail supporters thronged the VIA station in Campbellton NB to overflowing to welcome members of Parliament riding the Ocean on whistle-stop journeys to Ottawa. On March 2nd, Ontario MP Bruce Hyer was the star attraction, and on the 23rd no fewer than five members of the NDP caucus were on board. While Campbellton produced the most passionate turnouts, there were similar demonstrations of support at locations all along the route on both occasions, as people who firmly believe in coast-to-coast rail service turned out to help send a strong message to the federal government. In Halifax, Amherst, Sackville, Moncton, Rogersville, Miramichi, Bathurst – and on board the train itself – the enthusiasm was contagious. And the message was the same: Ottawa needs to earmark some of its infrastructure funding to preserve and MPs Yvon Godin (l.) and Phil Toone (r.) with Moncton strengthen rail passenger service in the Maritimes and eastern Councillor Charles Leger, Deputy Mayor Cecile Cassista and Quebec. Councillor Lisa Hansen of Riverview, NB.