Good afternoon,
Mr. Chair, thank you for inviting me to speak with you and the honourable members today.
I welcome the opportunity to be part of an important discussion about the unacceptable treatment of the passengers of VIA Rail Train 622 over the Labour Day weekend.
I am pleased to be joined today by representatives from Transport Canada:
- Arun Thangaraj, Deputy Minister;
- Craig Hutton, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy; and
- Lisa Setlakwe, Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety and Security
Mr. Chair, like many Canadians, I was shocked and concerned to hear about the treatment of VIA Rail passengers who were stranded for more than 10 hours on a train in Québec.
Their situation was frustrating and unacceptable.
We know there is always the possibility of delays and incidents when traveling.
Simply put, passengers deserve much better.
In this case, the train had a mechanical failure that is being investigated by VIA Rail, who is collaborating with Transport Canada officials.
But these challenges absolutely should not mean passengers are stranded for 10 hours, with limited access to essential services like food, water, and functioning toilets.
As you know, VIA Rail is an independent Crown corporation that operates at arm’s length from the Government of Canada, and is responsible for determining operational issues related to its network.
Part of my role, as Minister of Transport, is to determine the broad policy objectives associated with passenger rail in Canada.
So, I stepped in and spoke to VIA Rail executives about the incident on August 31st.
I informed them that the well-being and safety of their clients is paramount.
Passengers lost valuable time and had to endure physical and psychological discomfort for hours.
Some described the situation as “like being in prison.”
Some said that they “no longer felt safe.”
I’ll say it again: this is unacceptable.
Unfortunately, a similar incident happened in 2022, and simply shouldn’t have been repeated.
So, I’ve asked VIA Rail to take concrete steps to ensure that such situations do not happen again.
They must improve employee training.
They must enhance how information is communicated to passengers.
And they must review procedures for incidents like these when a train breaks down.
I’ve requested an independent report on what happened, and I’ve let VIA Rail know it has just 30 days to update its emergency management action plan.
Passengers deserve clear and accurate information from VIA Rail while issues are being resolved.
They also need to have alternate travel options available in case of disruptions. These must be provided before the situation escalates into a 10-hour ordeal.
Passenger rail is a critical link for Canadian communities.
Canadians deserve to have a safe, efficient, and reliable passenger rail service.
VIA Rail plays an important role in helping to connect people across the country, including Indigenous and remote communities, and we will keep working with them to provide a reliable rail service that meets the needs of all Canadians.
Transport Canada will continue to ensure that VIA Rail follows the regulations and rules with regards to passenger rail operations in Canada.
It’s a priority for the Government of Canada to support all our partners to help them reduce travel delays and service interruptions, while maintaining safety and protecting travellers’ rights.
Mr. Chair, I am happy to answer any questions you or members of the Committee may have.
Thank you.