VIA Rail Canada has laid off 1,000 workers as a result of the blockades of rail lines at locations across Canada, joining about 450 Canadian National workers laid off earlier this week. Some of the Canadian passenger carrier’s plans to partially restore service were thwarted Wednesday as new blockades appeared.
The blockades are part of nationwide protests over a pipeline project in British Columbia, which is opposed by some members of the First Nations group whose land the pipeline would cross. They are entering their 14th day.
In addition to the longest-running blockade, near Belleville, Ontario, the Associated Press reports new blockades appeared Wednesday near Edmonton and in St. Lambert, Quebec, near Montreal. The Edmonton blockade was short-lived, but the St. Lambert blockade prevented planned resumption of VIA service between Monteral and Quebec City, which is now cancelled through Friday. The St. Lambert blockade has also led to some cancellations by commuter rail operator Exo, the Montreal Gazette reports.
VIA still says it will resume full service on a number of routes today, with full service between Toronto and Windsor, Ont., Toronto and Sarnia, Ont., and Toronto and Niagara Falls, Ont. Partial service will be available between Montreal and Ottawa on weekdays, with full weekend service.
Other services on CN routes are cancelled until at least Sunday, Feb. 23, with some cancelled through Wednesday, Feb. 26. More complete information is available at VIA’s website.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues to call for negotiations rather than the use of force to end the blockades, but Alberta Premier Jason Kenney wants police to enforce court orders. “What is happening here is anarchy,” Kenney said.
I wouldn’t be surprised if VIA Rail will not survive to operate within a year or so. People are going to change their traveling habits by not relying on VIA with future uncertain blockages through reserves that more empty seats will be more common. I believe the Conservatives would love to dismantle VIA by promoting flying as the alternative by investing to upgrade airports and expanding runways at smaller airports. Canada will soon be the only developed country without a national passenger train service.
Trains staffers should delete all these comments, it is the same old tired political crap from readers who make it conservatives vs liberals and a Trump vs everyone who doesn’t support him. It is so tiresome it just becomes pointless to read comments on railroads, celebrities, the weather, sports, or anything anymore. What an ugly world we live in, depressing that every subject boils down to the divisions between people and how any topic comes back to the same vitriol. So sad it wears me down.
GALEN – “The narcissistic sociopathic conman in the White House?” He’s no longer there. His eight years of service ended January 20, 2017.
I believe that the CN/CP have there own Railroad Police and they can remove them themselves??
ROBERT – The Crown has the power to remove Justin. Doesn’t happen often but it has happened in one case, Gough Whitlam. Gough Whitlam, now deceased, was PM of Australia many years ago. He was legally installed in office by Australia’s Parliament, he was bounced out of office by the Crown.
Long may it wave/ And grace our own/ Blue skies and stormy weather/ Within my heart/ Above me home/ The Maple Leaf forever.
It is time for the Canadian parliament to start looking at removing Trudeau from office. He is negotiating from a position of weakness by letting the illegal blockades to exist. You don’t win battles by playing defense. Get out there and show some offense. Isn’t it a criminal offense to not only commit a crime but also enable a crime?
Thew Canadians elected this inept teeny-bopper.
People get the government they deserve.
“Please keep your feedback on topic and respectful”, it says above. We should all stop the political swipes at each other’s leaders, not what this forum is about.
I’ve been saying for awhile now that it’s time for rubber bullets, sound cannons and teargas.
If the Canadian Government won’t act to cancel that pipeline or forcibly remove the protesters in accordance with the injunctions, this will start to affect the US Economy. And THAT will also translate into a threat to National Security!
I wonder how it will look if the US has to send Special Ops and other military forces into Canada to do what their hopelessly crippled politically correct government is incapable of.
Justin, how are those negotiations working out for you? How many more years are you going to negotiate with this criminals? Another ten years? Maybe long enough you’ll not still be playing with dolls when the crisis is resolved.
Canada landed at Dieppe and Canada landed at Juno Beach but Canada can’t defend itself against a pitiful handful of thugs.
Canada you elected this giggling schoolgirl as your PM then you re-elected him. Have it your way.
The US President I voted for (despite his many faults) would have cleared those tracks on the second day and kept them clear.
How are these blockades affecting CN traffic into and out of the US? Is the line to Prince Rupert blocked? At some point, this certainly will affect US railroads and supply chains. Can anyone provide some details? Thanks.
I’d take Trudeau any day over that narcissistic sociopathic con man in the White House!
Anna, you are being very quite.
MARK – You don’t want a Republican American to criticize Justin? Oh My God! Free speech doesn’t stop at the border.
As an American I constantly hear criticism of my country from foreigners and outright hatred for the US President I voted for. (Read independent.co.uk —- page after page after page after page of malignant hatred for America from some British, hatred of a level of Heinrich Himmler and Joseph Goebbels ….) What’s fair is fair. I don’t hate Canada, not at all – the exact opposite is true. I absolutely love Canada which is why I know so much about it. I happen very much to love Canada but have no use for Trudeau fils.
My dislike of Trudeau fils, the PM of a country I never lived in, isn’t a percentage of a percentage of the hatred of many foreigners for Donald Trump.
JOHN RICE – Harry and Meghan are far too busy cashing in on Megxit to care about anything else besides their bank account.
A snowflake unwilling to enforce the law; truly pathetic. Heaven help Canada (and maybe us too) if a national defense emergency should arise.
Canada is a federal constitutional monarchy. Seeing that Mr. Trudeau appointed Julie Payette to be the Canadian governor general, I doubt the monarch will be involved anytime soon, unless Harry & Meghan decide to pay a visit.
Yes. Trump would clear those tracks. The concept of putting Canada first is obviously lost on this prime minister.
Wow. Ugly republican Americans trying to tell another democracy how to run their government. Who would have thought.