The future of the rail line to Churchill, Manitoba

Friday, I attended a meeting of the Northern Manitoba Round Table held in The Pas. The major concern was related to the future of the rail line to the Port of Churchill. Attending the meeting was Reg Meade, President of the Northern Association of Community Councils (together with members of other councils), Grand Chief Sidney Garrioch of the MKO and other members chiefs, and Tim Johnston, Mayor of Thompson together with the Mayors of other northern towns and cities.

Canadian Wheat Board shipments of grain account for 85-90% of the freight which passes along the rail line to be shipped through the Port of Churchill. Northern leaders are very concerned that if the Canadian Wheat Boards loses its single desk selling ability for wheat and barley that there may not be much grain shipped through the Port of Churchill. If this were to happen, then it could put at risk the future of the northern rail line which is so important for many northern communities.

All Manitobans need to understand the importance of the Canadian Wheat Board to northern Manitoba. It is unfortunate that the federal Conservative Party did not carefully consider the impact of their actions to move toward removing the monopoly power of the Canadian Wheat Board on northern Manitoba. At this point there is no alternate plan for the rail line to the Port of Churchill should the Canadian Wheat Board lose its monopoly postion. And the provincial NDP representatives, though they were very upset at the federal Conservatives, did not present their own plan to build a strong future for this important northern rail line. A rail line as important as this one should have a strong plan for its future, and not be left hanging by a thread and at the risk of untoward actions by the federal Conservative government.

In the photo, Tim Johnston, Mayor of Thompson, presides over the meeting of the Northern Manitoba Round Table.