Another rail disaster bound to happen

The derailment of a VIA Rail train in Burlington on Feb. 26 is but another incident in the long list of derailments, accidents and collisions that have plagued Canada’s railroads dating back to 1999 when Transport Canada largely gave up its regulatory oversight role. A report by the Transportation Safety Board in October 2007 on the derailment of a CN train that dumped 700,000 litres of fuel oil and chemicals into an Alberta lake is a reminder that, as then Transport Canada Minister Lawrence Cannon told the House of Commons that year, “rail safety in this country has gone down the tube.” This sad state of affairs defies all logic. Considering the despicable and sad state of railway safety in this country, characterized by flawed public policy and federal government apathy, and an industry motivated solely by profit, contemptuous for the safety of their workers and the public, it is only a matter of time before we experience a rail disaster like the awful tragedy in Mississauga in 1979 when a 106-car Canadian Pacific freight train derailed, forcing the evacuation of 220,000 residents. Despite the subsequent Grange Commission (1981) and a 2008 report on railway safety, few of the recommendations were implemented. What does this say about a commitment to safety? Go figure.

Ottawa must reinstate the authority of Transport Canada, and provide the necessary resources, financial and otherwise, to ensure effective regulatory oversight in the railway business.

Independent third-party audits are critical to ensuring the integrity of any system, be it related to finance, quality or safety. Lives will continue to be jeopardized unless the government ensures there are enough Transport Canada inspectors to do the vital job.

Another Mississauga — the only question is where and when? Emile Therien, Past President, Canada Safety Council, Ottawa