All Aboard - Save Our Passenger Train!

The Federal Government has decided to cut it's subsidy to CN Rail for the section of railway between Sault Ste. Marie and Hearst known as the Algoma Central Railway. As a result CN Rail has "chosen" to no longer run the passenger train along this historical and economic route. March 31st 2014 will be the last day that the passenger train will run along the ACR.

Tourism, jobs and local economies will be affected and a major part of our heritage will be lost. The Government subsidy is a "minor" 2.2 million dollars a year which pales in comparison to the 60 million dollars promised to foreign countries within the past week.

It appears the Canadian Government would rather sell itself as a good neighbour than to prove it to the rest of the world through action. Sault Ste. Marie has an unemployment rate of over 10% which is already approximately 5% higher than the Canadian average. Please help to stop this horrible circumstance before our unemployment rate gets worse.

By signing this petition, I hereby wish to draw attention of the House of Commons to the following:

-WHEREAS decisions made by the federal government should be based on broad stakeholder consultations;

-WHEREAS the Algoma Central Railway provides a sole point of access to many businesses, homes and communities along its route;

-WHEREAS the termination of passenger services by this railway would be damaging to the economy, the health and safety, and the accessibility of the area;

-WHEREAS government of Canada should provide taxpayers with public access to their property and business;

-THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to reinstate the federal funding that allowed for the operation of the Algoma Central Railway.