Eastern management of a Western service resulted in the loss of CPR ships on our coast. VIA control in New Brunswick has given unsatisfactory service on Vancouver Island.
We are witnessing an unfolding opportunity to provide rail service appropriate to our needs. Elsewhere in the world fast trains are replacing planes and in North America transport trucks are travelling non- stop across the continent cheaper and faster than being driven.
With a certain future, commodity traffic can be contracted to grow the returns here. Two such commodities are long poles that require three flatcars, the centre one as a spacer, to be shipped around North America. We have the best poles in North America. Another item is aggregate for building and road construction. The lower Island is running out of this and we have a great abundance.
Maintenance on our highways is costly, made more so by the heavy truck traffic of over 50 an hour in each direction. We have a choice, to upgrade rails to allow faster commutes for some areas, tourist travel for others and resource shipment, or deal with the same old problems and complain.
Art Skipsey
Qualicum Beach