6 February 2009
Third Major Derailment Since Federal Budget Stepped Up Enforcement Measures Aimed at Protecting Public Safety
Winchester Ontario - Today's 25-car
derailment of a Canadian Pacific train near Ottawa is on the same track that was
reported faulty and in need of repair earlier this week.
"Derailments on CP Rail track are spiking this winter just weeks after
the company began cutting track and equipment maintenance staff and today's
accident may have been avoidable because we reported the track in disrepair on
3 Feb 2009," said William Brehl, President of the Teamsters Canada Rail
Conference, Maintenance of Way Employees Division, and a member of Transport
Canada's Advisory Council on Railway Safety.
"Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government recognized the importance of
rail safety in the budget by earmarking an unprecedented $44 million of new
money to help Transport Canada make the railroads comply with safety
regulations. But since the budget less than two weeks ago, on CP Rail alone
we've had major derailments in Canmore, Alberta, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and now
today in Winchester, just south of Ottawa. There have also been numerous minor
derailments and many of these accidents involved dangerous commodities. We are
urging CP Rail to follow Stephen Harper's lead and put public safety ahead of
profits - or at least put public safety on par with profits," Mr. Brehl added.
In September, the Transportation Safety Board released numbers stating
there have been 9,960 train collisions and derailments - about three per day -
across Canada on all railways over the last decade, dating back to
1 Jan 1999.
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