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Monday, February 1, 2016
The Honourable Marc GarneauMinister of TransportHouse of
CommonsOtta a, O!, "1# 0#6
$ear Mr% Garneau,
&e ish to con'ratulate you on your election to the House of
Commons, as ell as on yourappointment to the Cabinet as our
Minister of Transport%
&e belon' to a lar'e continental net or( of 'roups and
or'ani)ations that ad*ocate for'reater transparency and safe'uards
ith respect to the transportation of crude oil andother ha)ardous
materials throu'h rail communities across Canada and the +% %
&e arecommitted to raisin' a areness at local and national
le*els, and see( to support those li*in'
alon' rail lines across our countries%
&hen -rime Minister Trudeau publicly released his mandate
letter to you on !o*ember 1.,201/, e ere pleased to see a re*ie of
rail safety re'ulations included% &e stron'lybelie*e that our
'o*ernment should protect us on this matter by settin' the
standards forrail safety and enforcin' them% n the enclosed
eptember 13 th 4iberal -arty response toSafe Rail Communities
re5uest for clear policy on rail safety, #nna Gainey, 4iberal
-arty-resident, rote
There is no 5uestion that it is the 'o*ernment s responsibility
to
protect the safety of Canadians ho tra*el on the rails, li*e
nearrail ay trac(s, and those ho operate rail ays77%%%%# 4iberal
'o*ernment ill prioriti)e Canadians public safety% &e
illincrease 'o*ernment re'ulation and enforcement for
thetransportation of dan'erous substances o*er rail and pro*ide
TransportCanada ith the necessary fundin' and resources to hire and
train anade5uate number of dan'erous 'oods and rail safety
inspectors toensure proper o*ersi'ht of the rail industry%
Furthermore, the 4iberal party has committed to se*eral clear
actions related to rail safety,includin'
&e also belie*e that the 'eneral public and or'ani)ations
li(e SafeRail Communities must be meanin'fully en'a'ed as partners
as estri*e to protect their safety and deli*er the 'o*ernment
Canadiansdeser*e%
&e ould li(e to ta(e this opportunity to accept the 4iberal
-arty in*itation to en'a'e ithyou on this ur'ent transportation
issue, and discuss further hat can be done in the short8
7/25/2019 Safe Rail Lettre 1 Fev. 2016
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Page 2term to protect Canadians hile rail ay re'ulations are
re*ie ed and re*ised% For e9ample,as there has been no impro*ement
in the state of the rail ay trac(s tra*ellin' throu'h 4ac8M:'antic,
e as( for an immediate moratorium on dan'erous 'oods mo*in' throu'h
thisto n, hose citi)ens ha*e paid the ultimate price% The ris( of
another tra'edy in 4ac8M:'antic is *ery real, as you can see in
this ;ouTube *ideo, prepared by > %youtube%com>
atch?*@)sA;i.8+A M
Canadians in rail communities across this country loo( to you to
act on their behalf, toprotect them, their families, and their
nei'hbours% -ublic safety must come first%+nfortunately, after more
than t o years since the tra'edy of 4ac8M:'antic, there remainsmuch
to be done to reassure families li*in', or(in', and playin' ithin
our communities oftheir safety%
&e loo( for ard to hearin' from you soon about a possible
meetin' date%
incerely,
-atricia ;% 4ai B Helen assila(os, Co8foundersSafe Rail
Communities
