The Canadian government should return to inspecting the safety of railways in Canada, and not leave it to railway companies, Official Opposition NDP leader Thomas Mulcair said on Thursday (January 9) two days after another train derailment in Canada.
The Official Opposition leader told a press conference that successive Liberal and Conservative governments have let companies self-inspect their equipment and railway lines.
Mulcair was particularly harsh with the Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, calling the government approach ideologically motivated, preferring private sector oversight to that of government oversight.
His comments come two days after a freight train derailment in the province of New Brunswick, that is still burning, and months after the July derailment of another freight train that smashed into the city of Lac-Megantic in the neighbouring province of Quebec, killing 47 people.
RCI’s Wojtek Gwiazda has a report.
ListenMore information:
CBC News – Rail safety needs government enforcement not ‘luck,’ Mulcair says – here
RCI – Fire continues, as train derailment investigated – here
Transportation Safety Board of Canada – Plaster Rock, New Brunswick, derailment info – here
Transportation Safety Board of Canada – Lac-Megantic,Quebec, derailment info – here
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