XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, ab.politics   
   XPost: sk.politics, man.politics   
   From: puela@nyet.ca   
      
   Sorta reminds me of the precept that oil companies use for promoting their   
   pipelines . . . . we have set aside 'x dollars' for cleanups of spills.  And   
   take a look at who gets the dollars from the fines.   
      
   The Harper government killed the Canadian Wheat Board.  These inevitable   
   outcomes were predicted by the majority of farmers who did not agree with the   
   free market method . . .   
   _____________________________   
   The Canadian Press - January 9, 2015   
      
      
   Railway fines for failing to transport grain don't reflect damage: lobby groups   
      
      
   REGINA - Farm lobby groups in Saskatchewan and Manitoba say fines levied   
   against Canada's two largest railways don't reflect the damage caused when the   
   companies failed to transport the minimum required grain volumes last year.   
      
   Transport Minister Lisa Raitt said Thursday that Canadian National Railway and   
   Canadian Pacific Railway were fined a combined total of $150,000.  <<==== !   
   {>_<}   
      
   Norm Hall, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan,   
   said farmers are frustrated with the fallout from months of railway backlogs   
   following last year's bumper grain crop.   
      
   "There's also some relief that the federal government did step forward, but   
   there's still frustration," Hall said.   
      
   "The one thing that bothers us most about this is that fine, that money, goes   
   to government," he said.   
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^   
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^   
   "It in no way goes to those that were hurt ... be it the producers or the grain   
   companies."   
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^   
      
   He added that the fines are a drop in the bucket for the railways.   
      
   "For these large corporations, it's not a bunch of money," he said.   
      
   CN (TSX:CNR) will pay $100,000 for violations under the Fair Rail for Grain   
   Farmers Act related to shipments for the weeks of July 28 and Sept. 7.   
      
   Canadian Pacific (TSX:CP), which was assessed a $50,000 penalty for the week of   
   Sept. 7, is disputing the fine on the basis that the shortfall was a result of   
   matters beyond its control.   
      
   Jeremy Berry, a spokesman for the company, said in an email that the missed   
   targets resulted from broader supply chain issues, "specifically the Labour Day   
   holiday shutdown at the Port of Vancouver the week before."   
      
   "CP has stressed and will continue to stress that the Canadian grain supply   
   chain must operate on a 24/7 basis to support balanced pipelines, reduce   
   congestion and drive velocity."   
      
   Berry added that the company moved record amounts of grain in 2014 that were 21   
   per cent above the three-year average and up 16 per cent over the previous   
   record crop year of 2008-09.   
      
   Doug Chorney, head of Keystone Agricultural Producers in Manitoba, said there   
   needs to be a way to compensate shipping companies and farmers who are   
   adversely affected by rail delays.   
      
   "A fine of such small amount really doesn't reflect the kind of damage poor   
   service is impacting on shippers and farmers," he said.   
      
   "We've always had challenges with reliable and adequate service from railways   
   because of different planning issues, not always because of capacity.   
      
   "We do have fundamental challenges in terms of making sure we have a system   
   that's well-co-ordinated ... we can't be left to wait months and months for   
   rail service."   
      
   Montreal-based CN said it would be paying a lower $50,000 a week administrative   
   monetary penalty.   
      
   "CN is heartened that the Transport Canada enforcement officer's investigation   
   appropriately took into account factors beyond CN's control and also reflected   
   the important role that others play in the grain supply chain," spokesman Mark   
   Hallman said on Thursday.   
      
   In March, Minister Raitt said fines against rail companies could total up to   
   $100,000 a day for delays.  But Transport Canada said in September it would   
   fine the railways up to $100,000 weekly at the minister's discretion.   
      
   The department said it is still reviewing fall data on grain volumes to ensure   
   the railways adhered to the volume requirements.   
      
   Hall said there needs to be a system review to prevent grain backlogs.   
      
   "If the grain companies and producers could depend on the timely deliveries of   
   cars, then there would be no issue."   
      
      
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     It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the   
   environment   
      
                                ~  Ansel Adams   
   ==================================================================   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)