Old letter could be key to saving railroad

I have attended all the Scotia Rail Development Society (SRDS) meetings and they are all very well organized with enthusiastic turnouts and that is a tribute to the efforts of the directors and to the determination of the members.

There is one issue, however, that has not been discussed at length at any of the meetings and yet this item could be a key in saving the railroad.

I will refer to it only as “the letter” here and will outline it in more detail below. I was first aware of “the letter” when a copy of it appeared in the Cape Breton Post in the summer of 2015. The letter, dated June 30, 1993, was signed by Paul Tellier who at that time was president and CEO of CN and it was addressed to then Nova Scotia Premier John Savage.

CN was a crown corporation owned by the Government of Canada at the time. The letter was sent to Premier Savage only three months before the rail line between Truro and Sydney was sold by CN to a private operator.

In fact, the receipt of such a letter was made a requirement by then Premier Savage. His office made it clear that if such an assurance was not received, the sale to a private operator would not have the blessing of the government of the Province of Nova Scotia.

From the letter I quote Mr. Tellier’s promise to Premier Savage: “this is confirming that should the Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia cease operations Canadian National Railways agrees to ensure the continuation of rail service on the Truro Sydney provincial short line.”

Some now believe that this is an obligation for today’s privately owned CN but I don’t think so. CN did not become a private company until 1995, so it was not today’s privately owned CN that made that commitment. That promise was made by the Government of Canada who owned CN in 1993.

For the Scotia Rail Development Society and all others interested in the future of the island’s railroad this could be another street to drive up in the efforts to save the railroad. This was a promise made by the Government of Canada back in 1993 and should be honored by the Government of Canada today as a deal is a deal and a promise is a promise. Donald R MacLeod Lakeside (formerly of Florence)