Judging from the interview in the Ottawa Citizen today with VIA CEO Desjardins-Siciliano, the future of this train is very much in doubt.

Also, according to VIA’s website, VIA Rail is continuing the service cancellation of the Canadian as a result of the freight train derailment in northern Ontario.

As a result Canada has no coast to coast passenger rail service. This news is completely unacceptable & comes at a time when it was just announced that forward-thinking politicians in the US have worked together at the state and federal levels to secure funding to repair the rail line through Albuquerque, NM thus preserving Amtrak’s Southwest Chief Chicago to LA passenger rail service:

http://krqe.com/2015/03/29/amtrak-says-southwest-chiefs-new-mexico-route-will-remain/

VIA provides an essential year-round transportation link to towns & cities across Canada, providing a valuable service to the millions of people who use it every year at a fraction of the government spending given to roads and air travel, and with the ability to serve far more city pairs than air ever could.

I’ve already done my part by sending an email voicing my concerns to VIA, the PM’s office as well as Liberal leader Justin Trudeau & NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair.

I would invite others reading this to do the same. With an election coming up this is the time to voice your concerns. I’ll even make it easy, you can forward the info I’ve already provided on my why choose the train page at http://northamericabyrail.info/why-choose-the-train/ to the following recipients:

VIA Rail CEO Yves Desjardins-Siciliano yves_desjardins-siciliano@viarail.ca
The Hon Stephen Harper, Prime Minister pm@pm.gc.ca
The Hon Justin Trudeau justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca
The Hon Thomas Mulcair thomas.mulcair@parl.gc.ca

Cheers, Pete