Northlander to be off the rails in 6 months

It’s just the continuance of the McGuinty government’s arrogance is what General Chairperson’s Association President Brian Kelly had to say on a report in the North Bay Nugget today.

The report indicates that Northlander passenger train will be off the rails in six months.

Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci indicated that passenger rail service would be terminated in favour of enhanced bus service when he made that announcement the ONTC would be divested in March.

Kelly says this move once again shows this has been McGuinty’s plan all along and that his government does not have the best interest of the north in mind.

“They talk about open and transparent we learned last summer Metrolinx wasn’t overly open and transparent so this is just a continuation of that.”

“There was no consultation with anybody … municipalities, workers, the people of the north about getting rid of Ontario Northland that was all done on their own so this is just continuing their mode of operandi.”



Kelly says there is still hope and employees are working in overdrive to change this latest decision around.

“We are continuing our fight.”

“We met with Andrea Horwath yesterday,” he explains.

“It was refreshing, she understands the issue, she understands the importance of the ONTC the services we provide and what the death knell to the communities will be if those services are removed.”

Kelly says with five members of her caucus from the north and two directly impacted with the divestment Horwath understands the devastation that looms putting the ONTC in private hands.

“They realise that the there’s nobody going to come in here and do what we do,” he says.

“If CN comes in here their track record is they’ll just wipe the place out.”

He says CN will make promises to get what they want and then just gut the outfit.

“And nobody who takes over the ONTC is going to continue to provide service to James Bay … and if they do they’ll want a subsidy.”

Kelly says the whole prospect is puzzling.

“How come southern Ontario gets treated differently than northern Ontario it’s just a complete abandonment of the north.

“This is unbelievable the north should be storming the bastille … this is damn ridiculous.”