TORONTO – Camille Labchuk, the Green Party candidate in the Trinity-Spadina federal by-election, is making rail safety a priority in her campaign in the downtown Toronto riding.
Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands joined Ms. Labchuk for a press conference at the candidate’s home this morning. The Dupont Street house backs onto train tracks, where on a daily basis, freight trains move toxic chemicals, fossil fuels and nuclear waste mere meters away from Ms. Labchuk’s back deck.
"A giant, transcontinental flow of oil is suddenly being shipped right through our backyards. It's pipeline by subterfuge," said Ms. Labchuk. "We don't have the infrastructure to treat train cars like pipelines, and the government has never done a proper risk assessment of moving this amount of crude oil through a densely populated city like Toronto."
"Despite a welcome move by Transport Canada to get 5,000 of the most dangerous rail cars off the tracks, over 50,000 of them remain. We need to follow the US example and move to 'positive train control,' upgrade track, and ensure a safety culture,” said May. “Moving goods by rail can be a safe option, but the neglect of the safety fundamentals that led to the Lac Mégantic disaster remains a threat."
At the press conference, Ms. Labchuk signed a Green Party of Canada Candidate Pledge, committing to make rail a priority by focusing on rail safety for passengers and freight; ensuring full, informed consent of municipal governments for the transport of dangerous goods; working to provide access to convenient and affordable rail; and working to establish a national legislative framework for VIA Rail.
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Contact:
Nicholas Gall
Communications Coordinator
Green Party of Canada
(613) 614 4916
nicholas.gall@greenparty.ca
