Everyone pointing fingers at each other! The misery continues.
A federal agency is overstepping its authority in ordering repairs be made to flood-damaged train tracks to Churchill, argues rail line owner Omnitrax-Hudson Bay Rail.
The Denver-based company filed an appeal with the Federal Court of Canada July 9 in hopes of having a Canadian Transportation Agency order to fix the tracks overturned.
CBC News obtained the document from the Federal Court of Appeal.
Omnitrax-Hudson Bay Rail has been trying to unload the rail line after it was seriously damaged more than 400 days ago in a 2017 spring flood.
Omitrax argues the unforeseeable flood hit as Hudson Bay Rail — which Omnitrax owns — was on the brink of financial insolvency. It has so far "had difficulty in securing funding" for the "enormous" costs associated with repairs, states the appeal.
Ever since the flood, the lack of rail shipment access has driven up food and fuel costs and harmed local businesses in the community of about 900, located 1,000 kilometres north of Winnipeg.
The company has also been involved in legal disputes with the federal government over who should pay for the rail line repairs since last year. Meanwhile, tension continues to build among locals over the delays.
"The bottom line is, this rail line needs to get fixed," said Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew.
"Every day that there is a delay, and every day that goes by without getting the rail line fixed means another day of high gas prices and high food costs for people in Churchill, which is to say nothing of the people who are either out of work or laid off because of this whole ongoing battle."
In June, based on a complaint launched by the Opposition Manitoba NDP, the Canadian Transportation Agency concluded Omnitrax had abdicated its responsibility to the public in not getting started on repairs by November 2017.
The agency, which is an independent tribunal of the federal government, issued an order requiring the company to get started on repairs by July 3 and get them done "as expeditiously as possible."
Last Friday, having learned the company had not begun repairs, the CTA went a step further and filed an order with the Federal Court of Canada compelling Omnitrax-Hudson Bay Rail to fix the rail line.
In response, the company states in its appeal the order "significantly oversteps the [CTA's] remedial jurisdiction" under the Canada Transportation Act.
Hudson Bay Rail claims the CTA neglected to take into account that the company isn't responsible for the extensive damage caused by a "once-in-200-years" flood, nor does it have the estimated $43.5 million needed to make the repairs.
"HBR has tried to find financing for the repairs but its efforts have, to date, been fruitless," the appeal reads.
The order also didn't clearly explain the nature of the repairs that were supposed to have begun by the CTA's July 3 deadline, the appeal states, and is "incapable of being complied with."
Based on its financial situation, Hudson Bay Rail says it isn't obligated to make the repairs under the Canada Transportation Act, which states a company's "financial necessities are of the first order of concern" when determining what duty it has to deliver service.
The company declined to provide a statement regarding its Federal Court appeal of the CTA order.
Hudson Bay Rail officials have maintained the lifeline to Churchill should be treated as a public utility because it is no longer commercially viable.
It has nonetheless been in purchase talks with a consortium representing northern communities and First Nations — Missinippi Rail Partners — along with Fairfax Financial Holdings and AGT Food and Ingredients.
The sale of the rail line has turned into a saga of its own, with negotiations falling apart and coming back together at various times, coming undone once again last week.
As of Monday, Hudson Bay Rail president Sergio Sabatini said negotiations are back on and include talks about the repair process.
Meanwhile, Kinew says he doesn't believe Omnitrax intends to fix the rail line.
"Looks like they're trying to come up with all kinds of excuses — they're broke, they can't get a deal to sell the thing — but when that order to fix the rail line came down, it didn't say, 'Fix the rail line if you can find a suitable buyer.' It didn't say, 'Fix the rail line if you can make money on it.' It said, 'Fix the rail line or else.'"
He added the NDP is confident the order should be upheld and his party is prepared to go to court.
"Since the carrot of getting a deal to sell the rail line seems to be off the table for now, then we think it's important to pursue the stick of going to court," Kinew said. "We're prepared to stand up for people in Manitoba."
Kinew also said the Progressive Conservative provincial government should have pressured the company to get the rail line functioning again.
He said if Premier Brian Pallister and his government want to get on board with the NDP fight, they're more than welcome.
The PCs have in the past claimed rail lines and ports fall under federal jurisdiction.
Firelock-- What a great website. It's amazing what groups are out there, some kind of dedication. Wonder if 200 years from now there are groups dedicated to studying what a bunch of knobs we are!
...you know this puts things into good perspective regarding the rail line and the Port of Churchill. Governments should be there in full 100% support with no concern for anything but the support of the people and an eye to the future.
CSSHEGEWISCH "Political correctness" is a buzzphrase usually used by the radical right to complain about expectations of common courtesy and decency in public discourse.
"Political correctness" is a buzzphrase usually used by the radical right to complain about expectations of common courtesy and decency in public discourse.
Now here's a fascinating website for those interested in the American Loyalists...
http://www.royalprovincial.com/
Started by Todd Braisted, a New Jersey historian and Revolutionary War re-enactor, it's an amazing history of the Loyalists during and after the war. Well worth a look! As a student of the Revolution I find it fascinating.
United Empire Loyalists (or Loyalists) is an honorific given in by Lord Dorchester, the governor of Quebec and Governor-general of British North America, to American Loyalistswho resettled in British North America [1] during or after the American Revolution. The Loyalists were also referred to informally as the "King's Loyal Americans". At the time, the demonym Canadian or Canadien was used to refer to the indigenous First Nations groups and the French settlers inhabiting Province of Quebec.[2]
They settled primarily in Nova Scotia, and the Province of Quebec (including the Eastern Townships, and Montreal). The influx of loyalist settlers resulted in the creation of several new colonies. In 1784, New Brunswick was partitioned from the Colony of Nova Scotia after significant loyalist resettlement around the Bay of Fundy.[3][4] The influx of loyalist refugees also resulted in the Province of Quebec's division into Lower Canada (present-day Quebec), and Upper Canada (present-day Ontario) in 1791. The Crown gave them land grants of 200 acres (81 ha) per person to encourage their resettlement, as it especially wanted to develop the frontier of Upper Canada. This resettlement added many English speakers to the Canadian population. It was the beginning of new waves of immigration that established a predominantly English-speakingpopulation in the future Canada both west and east of the modern Quebec border.
Following the end of the American Revolutionary War and the signing of the Treaty of Parisin 1783, both Loyalist soldiers and civilians were evacuated from New York City, most heading for Canada. Many Loyalists had already migrated to Canada, especially from New York and northern New England, where violence against them had increased during the war.
The Crown-allotted land in Canada was sometimes allotted according to which Loyalist regiment a man had fought in. This Loyalist resettlement was critical to the development of present-day Ontario, and some 10,000 refugees went to Quebec (including the Eastern Townships and modern-day Ontario). But Nova Scotia (including modern-day New Brunswick) received three times that number: about 35,000-40,000 Loyalist refugees.[5]These included some 3,000 Black Loyalists, slaves who had gained freedom from the British for working with them during the war. At the same time, some white Loyalists in Nova Scotia had brought their slaves with them, and held them until slavery was abolished in 1834. Prince Edward Island received 2,000 refugees.
An unknown but substantial number of individuals did not stay; they eventually returned to the United States. As some families split in their loyalties during the war years, many Loyalists in Canada continued to maintain close ties with relatives in the United States. They conducted commerce across the border with little regard to British trade laws.[6] In the 1790s, the offer of land and low taxes, which were one-quarter those in the Republic, for allegiance by Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe resulted in the arrival of 30,000 Americans often referred to as Late Loyalists. By the outbreak of the War of 1812, of the 110,000 inhabitants of Upper Canada, 20,000 were the initial Loyalists, 60,000 were later American immigrants and their descendants, and 30,000 were immigrants from the UK, their descendants or some Quebecois. The later arrival of many of the inhabitants of Upper Canada suggests that land was the main reason for immigration.
The arrival of the Loyalists after the Revolutionary War led to the division of Canada into the provinces of Upper Canada (what is now southern Ontario) and Lower Canada (today's southern Quebec). They arrived and were largely settled in groups by ethnicity and religion. Many soldiers settled with others of the regiments they had served with.[7] The settlers came from every social class and 13 Colonies unlike the depiction of them in the Sandham painting which suggests the arrivals were upper-class immigrants dressed in their best and about to go the Ball.
Loyalists soon petitioned the government to be allowed to use the British legal system, which they were accustomed to in the American colonies, rather than the French system. Great Britain had maintained the French legal system and allowed freedom of religion after taking over the former French colony with the defeat of France in the Seven Years War. With the creation of Upper and Lower Canada, most Loyalists in the west could live under British laws and institutions. The predominately ethnic French population of Lower Canada, who were still French-speaking, could maintain their familiar French civil law and the Catholic religion.[7]
Realizing the importance of some type of recognition, on 9 November 1789, Lord Dorchester, the governor of Quebec and Governor General of British North America, declared "that it was his Wish to put the mark of Honour upon the Families who had adhered to the Unity of the Empire". As a result of Dorchester's statement, the printed militia rolls carried the notation:
"Those Loyalists who have adhered to the Unity of the Empire, and joined the Royal Standard before the Treaty of Separation in the year 1783, and all their Children and their Descendants by either sex, are to be distinguished by the following Capitals, affixed to their names: U.E. Alluding to their great principle The Unity of the Empire."
Because most of the nations of the Iroquois had allied with the British, which had ceded their lands to the United States, thousands of Iroquois and other pro-British Native Americans were expelled from New York and other states. They were also resettled in Canada. Many of the Iroquois, led by Joseph Brant Thayendenegea, settled at Six Nations of the Grand River, the largest First Nations Reserve in Canada. A smaller group of Iroquois led by Captain John Deserontyon Odeserundiye, settled on the shores of the Bay of Quinte in modern-day southeastern Ontario.
The government settled some 3,500 Black Loyalists in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, but they faced discrimination and inadequate support.[9] Delays in making land grants aggravated racist tensions in Shelburne. Mobs of white Loyalists attacked Black Loyalists in the Shelburne Riots in July 1784, Canada's first recorded race riot.[10] The government was slow to survey the land of Black Loyalists (which meant they could not settle); it also was discriminatory in granting them smaller, poorer and more remote lands than those of white settlers. This increased their difficulties in getting established.[11] The majority of Black Loyalists in Canada were refugees from the South; they suffered from the harsh winters and discrimination.
Shelburne Nova Scotia was settled by Loyalists from Bergen County New Jersey, the area I'm from.
A nasty, ugly civil war was fought in Bergen County during the Revolution between the Loyalists and the Patriots, who called themelves Whigs at the time. The Loyalists had no choice but to get out after the war.
From reading Kenneth Roberts' novel Oliver Wiswell, I have the impression that a part of New Brunswick was settled by Loyalists from New England, the Boston area in particular.
Johnny
She and her hubby were United Empire Loyalists and certified as such.
charlie hebdo You are welcome. Some good current historians on the Warof 1812: John Grodzinski (a Canadian) D.R. Hickey (a personal friend of mine) Don Graves (Hickey's friend and another Canadian) JCA Stagg Alan Taylor
You are welcome. Some good current historians on the Warof 1812:
John Grodzinski (a Canadian)
D.R. Hickey (a personal friend of mine)
Don Graves (Hickey's friend and another Canadian)
JCA Stagg
Alan Taylor
I've got Donald R. Hickey's book "Don't Give Up The Ship! Myths of The War of 1812."
Well written and a great, enjoyable read. Next time you see Professor Hickey please pass along my complements!
By the way all, did you know Laura Secord was American? It's true. Her family migrated to Canada after the American Revolution to take advantage of opportunities to purchase land, (Makes me wonder why considering her family supported the Revolution, but no matter. Maybe Shay's Rebellion had something to do with it, they were from Massachusetts.) found a home in Canada and made a good life there.
I'm tempted to call her a traitor, but hey, she was a Canadian citizen by that time, and like I said, I love her chocolate. Brave girl.
The Battle of New Orleans was a disaster for the Brits all right. British General Packenham didn't learn a thing from Bunker Hill. Even poorly-trained militia could give a good account of themselves if they had good strong fortifications to fight from, and Andrew Jackson made sure they had them.
And apparantly Packenham didn't learn a thing from the Duke of Wellington either, on who's staff he served. Wellington's style was let the enemy know you're there, take a good strong defensive position, and let them come to you. And Jackson just might have done it if provoked enough, he hated the British and wanted to kick their butts clear into the Gulf of Mexico. But that's just speculation on my part.
Poor man. Lost 2000 of the British Army's best, and his own life as well.
Deggesty-- You had an experiance that few can match.. what they used to call 'a well rounded man'.
So many Canadians know about their fenced in protected resorts in Mexico and cruise ships and nothing about their own country. Suspect the same in the USA.
Quoting Firelock--"So relax, Americans are only likely to invade Canada for three things ending in the letter "N."
Huntin', fishin', and relaxin'."
Yes, my wife and I enjoyed relaxing in the former railroad hotels in Victoria, Vancouver, Lake Louise, Banff, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec, and Halifax. It took us three trips, and we also relaxed on VIA in between the hotels. My last trip, four years ago this fall, gave me a relaxing trip from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert (I was unable to get a cabin southbound). We enjoyed the food on board (though the meals in the Renaissance diners were not as good as those on board the Budd diners).
Well thanks Charlie ... I was going by memory...I know she was intercepted by Iroquois warriors in the woods and was fortunate in that they were on the British/Canadian side of things.
The Native folk lead by Tecumseh were the real only losers of that war, having been promised their own territory in the Ohio valley area by the British. The invasion was stopped and we gave back Michigan to the US
The US expected to cede territory in Maine but the British didn't want it.
You guys burned down Toronto ( York) and we burned down the White House and other things in Washington.
The battle of New Orleans was a disaster for the Brits, doubly so since the Treaty of Ghent had already been signed ending the war but the news arrived too late.
Absolutely nothing was accomplished and the Natives fought for nothing.
From Lt. FitzGibbon's account (the British officer to whom she reported):I do hereby Certify that on the 22d. day of June 1813, Mrs. Secord, Wife of James Secord, Esqr. then of St. David's, came to me at the Beaver Dam after Sun Set, having come from her house at St. David's by a circuitous route a distance of twelve miles, and informed me that her Husband had learnt from an American officer the preceding night that a Detachment from the American Army then in Fort George would be sent out on the following morning (the 23d.) for the purpose of Surprising and capturing a Detachment of the 49th Regt. then at Beaver Dam under my Command.
Very good Firelock.. there are not many Americans who have a clue what Laura Secord Chocolate (and ice cream) is.
Not only that but it fits into this discussion. She was a heroine of the War of 1812, walking very ill equipped through dangerous woods 30 miles from Niagara on The Lake to Stoney Creek ( Hamilton) to warn troops of the staging American invasion. Remarkable.
There is a monument to her near the General Brock statue that faces the USA reminding all to be nice!, sword drawn.
Very high quality chocolates and ice cream... kind of thing for anniversaries and special occasions as classy gifts.
You left out the Laura Secord chocolate shops! Wow! Good stuff!
Keep talking about all that good stuff to eat and you're just begging for an invasion!
And Newfoundlanders with slingshots? I'd be more afraid of Newfoundlanders with bottles of "Screetch" converted to Molotov cocktails! That stuff's dangerous!
Well the report is a nice geography lesson if nothing else.
Your invading forces would not get past the line of defense consisting of Tim Hortons, Harvey's, Swiss Chalet and our vastly VASTLY superior chocolate bars. Char grilled burgers, BBQ rotesserie chicken, crullers, apple fritters, Crispy Crunch and Smarties will stop you cold.
Interesting, that US Army invasion of Canada plan from 1935!
As an old Marine let me tell you what that's all about. The United States hasn't had any desire to invade Canada since the War Of 1812, and even that was a mistake, however to keep the staffers in Washington busy they have them come up with war plans/ invasion plans for areas all over the world. It's the fallout from the Spanish-American War of 1898 when the US Army had no General Staff at all, no war plans for anything at all, no mobilisation plans at all, so the build-up for and invasion of Cuba was a fouled up mess.
The re-organization of the US Army and the establishment of a General Staff during Teddy Roosevelt's administration made sure THAT was never going to happen again. And besides, you never know where trouble's going to start, do you?
So relax, Americans are only likely to invade Canada for three things ending in the letter "N."
Huntin', fishin', and relaxin'.
An appropriation of 57 million for air bases along the Canadian border? I don't know, this was Depression-era American and the American military was still pinching pennies. I'm not sure if they were ever built, at least not until the American build-up for World War Two that started in 1940.
The USA blew 57 million of 1935 dollars on this? Oh well you got some bases by the Great Lakes. Kind of wonder what they were worried about in 1935? Fascists and Communists were oceans away and were fringe lunatic movements in the Dominion. Of course the same applies to our allies England, Australia, New Zealand...oceans away.. by the time they mobilized and got here the invasion would be almost done.. I think. Didn't work out too well last time you tried but that was in the old musket days.
Maybe a make work Depression thing. I'm certain the 'plan' still exists in some updated form. Cutting off coal supplies to cripple steam locomotives doesn't seem too important any longer.
Maybe updated version is in case little green men from Xanadu take us over, after all, as we all know, those tasty Canadians are high on the Alien invasion list.
MiningmanHow to invade Canada Blue vs Crimson Check this out! http://www.glasnost.de/hist/usa/1935invasion.html You see without the Port of Churchill we are done! Of course we have the top secret Pine Tree Line with a displaced Newfoundlander behind every tree with a slingshot. With the current invasion from your Southern border maybe you would have to move what's left up here anyway. Ouch.
http://www.glasnost.de/hist/usa/1935invasion.html
You see without the Port of Churchill we are done!
Of course we have the top secret Pine Tree Line with a displaced Newfoundlander behind every tree with a slingshot.
With the current invasion from your Southern border maybe you would have to move what's left up here anyway.
Ouch.
Churchill was such a busy port for the period measured - 15 arrivals and 15 departures.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
How to invade Canada Blue vs Crimson Check this out!
Well thank goodness I'm not the only one who thinks football's boring. I don't feel so alone anymore.
Folks, I've got better things to do with weekend afternoons than spending them sitting in front of the tube. Life's too short.
"Dost thou love life? Than do not waste time, for that is what life is made of."
Benjamin Franklin
Balt--–You were witness to History and one of the all time great Trivial Pursuit and Jeopardy questions.
Gotta luv that opening game of the CFL Las Vegas Posse team.. the singer forget the words and the melody of "Oh Canada" and made up a bunch of words sung to 'oh Christmas Tree' then on opening kickoff the Posse player got turned around on the reception and ran into the wrong end zone for a non touchdown. Wow!
The Baltimore Stallions were a top notch team and the only team outside of Canada to win the Grey Cup. Now that is something to boast about.
SD70Dude Off-topic, but as a life-long Esks fan I can't resist. Every few years someone tries to get the Eskimos to change their name, but the issue always dies down after a while. Personally I think there are more important things to worry about, and that the name-change advocates are simply latching onto a cause to grab some publicity for themselves. But the issue has flared up again recently, and this time it feels different. Perhaps next year I will be cheering for the Edmonton Pink Elephants! Now for a bit of history, the Esks' name originated (like so many things out here) from the Edmonton vs Calgary rivalry, we said they were too far south and might as well be Americans, they said we were too far north and would better be called Eskimos! Back in 1905 that probably seemed harmless, and the name stuck. The "Eskimos" name is not the only case of the team wearing a would-be insult with pride, more recently we were nicknamed the "evil empire" due to the team's wealth and success on the field. In response the Stadium staff started playing the Imperial March (Darth Vader's theme) when the players took to the field! And to keep this slightly railroad-related, CP's Edmonton-Calgary passenger trains were once named for the cities' respective teams; Eskimo northbound and Stampeder southbound.
Off-topic, but as a life-long Esks fan I can't resist.
Every few years someone tries to get the Eskimos to change their name, but the issue always dies down after a while. Personally I think there are more important things to worry about, and that the name-change advocates are simply latching onto a cause to grab some publicity for themselves.
But the issue has flared up again recently, and this time it feels different. Perhaps next year I will be cheering for the Edmonton Pink Elephants!
Now for a bit of history, the Esks' name originated (like so many things out here) from the Edmonton vs Calgary rivalry, we said they were too far south and might as well be Americans, they said we were too far north and would better be called Eskimos! Back in 1905 that probably seemed harmless, and the name stuck.
The "Eskimos" name is not the only case of the team wearing a would-be insult with pride, more recently we were nicknamed the "evil empire" due to the team's wealth and success on the field. In response the Stadium staff started playing the Imperial March (Darth Vader's theme) when the players took to the field!
And to keep this slightly railroad-related, CP's Edmonton-Calgary passenger trains were once named for the cities' respective teams; Eskimo northbound and Stampeder southbound.
@ SD70Dude... HOW DARE YOU! Insult Pink Elephants the world over by wanting to usurp their name for a mere sports team! Such a crude and rude thing to do!
I seem to remember some flap about an American sports team with an Indian inspired name that endured a protest by a bunch of European decendents that the name was insulting, even though the team was owned by an American Indian tribe.
But I want to know one other thing about Canadian/Canadien/Cannuck/whatever sports... Is your "football" so boring (like American football) that you have to have scantily clad females prancing around on the sidelines in an attempt to keep the crowd's attention at least toward the field of play?
At least "Railfanning" is exciting enough of a sport to keep the fan's attention toward the tracks... even when no trains are present!
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
MiningmanNow thats a great story about the origin of the team's names. Both Alberta teams have been dominant in the CFL for a while now with a little bit of the Saskatchewan Roughriders sticking their nose in. For our American cousins our football is a wee bit different .. the field is wider, 65 yards vs 53, it is longer by ten yards ( there is a 55 yard line in the middle), and we only have 3 downs, not 4, which makes for a faster paced game. No time for foolin' around. There are 12 players on the field not 11 for each team and the endzones are 20 yards not 10. Only scoring difference is a single point awarded for a missed field goal or punt that goes out of bounds in the end zone or is not run out by the opposing team. Some American quarterbacks never adapt well to the 3 downs and others thrive with the larger field. Manziel is doing fine. Kapernick is next.
For our American cousins our football is a wee bit different .. the field is wider, 65 yards vs 53, it is longer by ten yards ( there is a 55 yard line in the middle), and we only have 3 downs, not 4, which makes for a faster paced game. No time for foolin' around. There are 12 players on the field not 11 for each team and the endzones are 20 yards not 10.
Only scoring difference is a single point awarded for a missed field goal or punt that goes out of bounds in the end zone or is not run out by the opposing team.
Some American quarterbacks never adapt well to the 3 downs and others thrive with the larger field. Manziel is doing fine. Kapernick is next.
Baltimore Stallions - 1994 Grey Cup finalist - 1995 Grey Cup Champions! Took my son to a Stallions game in August of 1995.
Now thats a great story about the origin of the team's names. Both Alberta teams have been dominant in the CFL for a while now with a little bit of the Saskatchewan Roughriders sticking their nose in.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
I understand. We still have Eskimo Pies in the ice cream sections of American supermarkets!
Yeah the Belugas are from a time past. No way that happens today. Kind of embarrasing these days and they are protected, as are Narwhals. Also we do not use the term Eskimo any longer. It's Inuit. Rightly so. Although we do still have the Edmonton Eskimos football team.
By the way bad boy Johnny Manziel is now a Hamilton Tiger Cat.
Now didn't that look like a fun and fascinating trip!
Although I could do without the dead belugas. I know, different time, different ways. But aside from that, wow!
Even that non-resident fishing license was reasonable! And well worth it, I'm sure. Canada's got the best trout fishing I've ever done.
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