It’s disheartening to read all the half-truths and misinformation flying around as part of the E&N rail debate. One would think that the harsh climate realities staring us in the face would make the need for clean, electric, rail-based service immediately evident. And if even a fraction of the subsidies provided for road transportation were redirected to passenger rail, this would be easily funded.
However, there is a far bigger truth that must be faced, and that is that the E&N land grants are an illegal seizure of unceded First Nations land. The theft of this land has, and continues to, cause great hardship to many peoples, and history would look very different had the wealth and stewardship of this land remained with its rightful owners.
So, these arguments about the “best use” of the E&N corridor is not our arguments to have. This land is not ours, and it’s time to take a step forward towards acknowledging these truths, reconciling by returning the land, and committing to providing full funding if they, not us, decide to offer transportation services along this corridor.
David and Laura Slik
Lasqueti Island