26 November 2004 CPR and CAFB Target Hunger Relief this Holiday Season Issues relating to hunger in Canada will again be front and centre on the 2004 CPR Holiday Train, as the rolling fundraiser takes to the rails for another year.   The Canadian Association of Food Banks (CAFB) has reported parents, children and the working poor are among over 800,000 people who turn to food banks for help each month. Food bank use in Canada for one month now exceeds the population of Winnipeg, according to HungerCount 2004, CAFB's national survey of food bank use. Since the 1989 House of Commons resolution to end child poverty by 2000, food bank use has increased by 123 percent.   "CPR employees live and work in more than 400 Canadian communities. Hunger is an issue that can, and does, affect their neighbours," said CPR President and CEO, Rob Ritchie. "The CPR family has a proud history of contributing positively to the social fabric of Canadian communities. With today's employees continuing to reinvent that tradition, our company recognizes the importance of working with local food bank programs to make a difference on a day-to-day basis and each year with the Holiday Train."   Charles Seiden, CAFB Executive Director said, "We are very grateful for the continued commitment and generosity of Canadian Pacific and its employees during the holiday season as well as the year-round commitment, enabling us to operate our National Food Sharing System by redistributing bulk food movements between food banks in Eastern and Western Canada."   Since 1999, CPR and local food banks have been working together to raise awareness of issues related to hunger, money and food donations. In the first five years, the Holiday Train program helped raise close to 213 tons of food and more than $1.5 million for North American food banks. CPR employees will make monetary donations to local food banks in addition to the food and money collected along the way. All donations made at each Holiday Train event stop remain in that community for distribution.   Adding further strength to this year's program, the Canadian Association of Food Banks is pleased to welcome CBC/Radio-Canada to the growing list of partners in food bank initiatives that take place during the Holiday Train's cross-Canada trek. "CBC/Radio-Canada has a long history of direct involvement with our member food banks. For example, the Calgary-based CBC/Petro-Canada Food Bank drive has made a significant contribution to the Calgary Interfaith Food Bank for more than 20 years," noted Seiden. " Among other initiatives this year, CBC-TV will be informing local communities of when and where they can come out to see the train, enjoy the entertainment, and - most importantly - make food bank donations. The addition of CBC/Radio-Canada to the list of our corporate community sponsors is welcomed by the CAFB."   In Canada, the Holiday Train will embark on its two-week, cross-Canada journey on Sunday, 5 Dec 2004 from Ste. Therese, Quebec; finishing up in Port Moody, B.C., on 19 Dec 2004, after stops in more than 50 communities. At each scheduled stop, nonperishable food items and money will be collected for the local community as Holiday Train singers perform from the specially designed box car, which makes up the 14-car, 1,000 foot freight train, decorated by thousands of multi-coloured Christmas lights. At the same time, a second Holiday Train will be stopping at more than 30 communities in the Northeast United States and U.S. Midwest raising awareness and collecting donations for hunger relief in America.