Problems in Canada

[Lenny53]

https://globalnews.ca/news/6548528/via-rail-cancels-trains-cn-shutdown/?utm_medium=Facebook&utm_source=GlobalNews

[Point353]

Again, nothing about this has been mentioned in US media, even the WSJ has been silent (through the other day). 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/canadian-national-railway-threatens-to-shut-down-corridors-blocked-by-protests-11581458571

https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/02/13/business/ap-cn-canada-rail-protest.html

[learmoia]

After reading the story and thinking a bit..  This is a good (and safe) move by CN to quickly resolve the issue..

~Ian

 

[lock4244]

Well, the answer might be to listen to what they're saying.

This is mostly foreign actors agitating. Likely same people who fund antifa. This is not a grass roots movement, far too organized.

https://aptnnews.ca/2020/01/27/weve-got-a-real-divide-in-the-community-wetsuweten-nation-in-turmoil/

[CNscale]

Well, the answer might be to listen to what they're saying.

Perhaps some clarification might help for those who are not familiar with the details.

The pipeline being built in BC proceeded through all the necessary approvals, including approval by the indigenous groups affected (who stand to profit from the project). However, a minority of the peoples claiming to be the "hereditary leadership" (as opposed to the legally recognized elected leaders who approved the project) have set up the rail blockades.

So this is pretty much the definition of anarchy, where rule of law has been entirely thwarted by a small minority pushing its own agenda, and the government is either powerless or indifferent.
Unfortunately Canadian governments have a history of allowing blockades like this to fester (look up "Oka" and "Caledonia") and thus embolden and empower those who take advantage of them.

It's also fascinating to note that all of the protesters appear to be wearing winter clothing made from synthetic fabrics, so their protest against the petroleum economy is somewhat hypocritical.

[learmoia]

Good to know, that makes sense..

So I was correct to not include 'the Natives' in my previous post referencing Letterkenny lingo..

And good move to CN take decisive action to highlight the issue and government inaction on an international scale.

~Ian

[peteski]

Does anybody here speak/read Spanish well enough to tell us what the Mexican protesters are protesting?

The Wall. 

[Blazeman]

 CN Release to Shippers:

I would like to update you on the status of the illegal rail blockades on our network.

I would like to inform you that the illegal blockades have come to an end in Manitoba and may be ending imminently in British Columbia. The orders of the court in Ontario have yet to be enforced and continue to be ignored. We have tried to adjust our operations to serve customers in the face of these challenges, we are now left with the only remaining responsible option: progressively shutting down its Eastern Canadian operations until the illegal blockades end. This will include stopping and safely securing trains destined to points east of Toronto, ON and may imminently lead to temporary layoffs within the company’s Eastern Canadian operational staff. This shutdown does not include traffic between CN’s Brampton terminal and Macmillan yard and Western Canada and the United States.

With over 400 trains cancelled during the last week and new protests that emerged at strategic locations on our mainline, we have decided that a progressive shutdown of our Eastern Canadian operations is the responsible approach to take for the safety of our employees and the protestors. This situation is regrettable for its impact on the economy, and our railroaders as these protests are unrelated to CN's activities, and beyond our control. Our shutdown will be progressive and methodical to ensure that we are well set up for recovery, which will come when the illegal blockades end completely.

Our recovery however, will be greatly impeded by the Ministerial Order issued by the Transport Minister on February 6th. This afternoon I sent a letter to Minister Garneau, asking for a 14 day suspension of the order on CN following the resumption of service. This would be a meaningful contribution to help spark back the economy and quickly regain some of our international trade reputation around the world. Read letter now

Thank you,
JJ Ruest, President and Chief Executive Officer
 

[CNscale]

... Our recovery however, will be greatly impeded by the Ministerial Order issued by the Transport Minister on February 6th. ..

So eastern Canada has about 5 days' worth of propane left. Even if the blockades are lifted, the recent rail speed restrictions (the "Ministerial Order" referenced above) mean that new deliveries will arrive rather slowly (25km/hr). Suppliers are prioritizing deliveries for heating requirements  meaning businesses and industries that rely on propane will have to shut down.

Supplies of aircraft de-icing fluid and jet fuel are also reported to be dwindling.


[edited to remove personal commentary that might encourage thread drift]

[Missaberoad]

So we're allowing politics as long as it's Canadian Politics? 

[nuno81291]

So we're allowing politics as long as it's Canadian Politics? 

...it is train related isn’t it?

[Blazeman]

So we're allowing politics as long as it's Canadian Politics? 

This is a real situation affecting millions of people more or less immediately and will last for a while once resolved.  People will lose jobs, people will be cold, travel is restricted.  Not a policy debate, but reporting what is going on due to actions (including damaging of private property) of a group against a corporation with absolutely no skin in their game. Rallies, speeches, carrying signs and banners are one thing.  Not this.

I just ended a conversation with the CN rep.  They are close to simply shutting down the GTW line from Chicago east.  Jet fuel rationing is about to start.  Apparently the squatters in BC returned to the scene last night.

[Maletrain]

I know that there are activists who try to prevent any new infrastructure that facilitates the use of more fossil fuels, even natural gas, on the grounds that it adds CO2 to the atmosphere.  The tactics seem to be to grab any available local dispute and inflame it into protests that disrupt the project.  I have seen protests against both pipelines and railroad transportation of oil and gas, both crude and refined products.  But, of course, we do need those products if only to be able to build devices that allow us to transition to renewable energy.  So, there is a vast gulf between protesting and solving the problem.

Railroads have recently been in the news as a tool for solving our transportation problems on several fronts.  Energy-efficient freight movements have been one big consideration, but high speed passenger traffic is also being suggested, both in "mag-lev" versions and new urban rail corridors.  I would add to that the concept of the Autotrain, where people take their cars, packed with belongings, along on their trips, instead of flying - but that doesn't seem to have much PR traction, at this time, anyway.

It seems that every proposal hurts somebody.  For instance, the local (Washington-to-Baltimore) mag-lev project threatens to take a friend's home of several decades.  And, putting a new metro rail line where an old B&O branch line has been turned into a walking path is also highly contested by folks who live along that corridor, today.  So, protests are relatively easy to start, just about anywhere.

I don't really know what those protesters in Canada and Mexico really want.  But, I don't see anything that is actually the fault of or under the control of the railroads that can be done to appease them.  It seems like these protests are more in the nature of the protesters who block automobile traffic just to "get attention" for their cause.  Which seems counter-productive because it gets negative attention.  Disruptive actions that are not directed at an actual perpetrator of the alleged problem seem to come across to the general population more as a threat to "give us what we want or we will hurt you" in some way. 

This sort of public unrest was predicted by psychologists back in the 1950s, based on studies of over-population effects on caged rats.  Oh, well, back to the tread mill.

[Blazeman]

Start boiling water up there.  CN just called to say they are putting on an embargo Sunday 0001 for any traffic Montreal west.  Water treatment plants won't get chlorine cars.

[Blazeman]

Pop-up blockade just across from Montreal causing CN to embargo everything that would need to go through the city.