Monday, April 13, 2020

Do not privatize the LeBreton Flats.

     During the year 1988 Deputy Prime Minister of Canada Erik Nielsen designated the property a National Interest Land Mass, to be owned by the citizens of Canada in perpetuity. Former federal politicians John Manley and John Baird want to see the LeBreton Flats preserved as an urban park, similar to London, England's Hyde Park and Central Park in New York City. ("John Manley, John Baird urge NCC to keep land public" - CBC News, September 4, 2019.)

We have already lost armouries; lighthouses ,1,000, including Peggy's Cove;
 Dominion Buildings; the Victoria, British Columbia Dominion Observatory, and
 Canadian National Railway infrastructure, land and buildings that are now owned by Bill Gates and company:
The Quebec Bridge between Levis and Quebec City, Quebec. 
House of Commons Debates Ottawa       March 29, 1996.
Mr. Antoine Dube, Levis, Quebec, BQ.
"CN owned 6,000 bridges across Canada."
Mr. Chuck Strahl, Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon, B.C.
"In 1993 the federal government sold the Quebec bridge for $1 dollar with the proviso that CN maintain that bridge."
House of Commons Debates  Ottawa      December 1, 2009
Mr. Thomas Mulcair, Outremont, Quebec, NDP.
"...CN got infrastructure and projects worth billions in exchange for $1 dollar...we in the NDP have always warned that we cannot trust private enterprise and give it control over assets that once belonged to the Crown because it will not do the work needed."
Shortly before the Crown corporation was privatized, the holdings of Canadian Government Railways were transferred for a dollar.
House of Commons Debates Ottawa February 25, 2015.
Mr. Thomas Mulcair, Leader of the Opposition, Outremont, Quebec NDP.
     "Today the Prime Minister is meeting a major CN shareholder. CN owns the Quebec Bridge. The Quebec Bridge is an important piece of federal infrastructure. It is even a national historic site of Canada. Will the Prime Minister talk to Bill Gates about the Quebec Bridge as Mayor Labeaume has asked?"
PRIVY COUNCIL ORDER-IN-COUNCIL     PC NUMBER 1993-1603
Date: 1993-07-22
Precis    "Authority to enter into an agreement with CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAYS COMPANY and to dispose of all rights, title and interest in the Canadian Government Railways lands to the Canadian National Railway Company and termination of the management and lands entrusted to CN ."
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The Government of Canada and CN engage in a court battle:
House of Commons Debates Ottawa     January 30, 2014.
Mr. Denis Blanchette (Louis-Hebert, NDP.)
     "Mr. Speaker, the federal government has wasted close to $400,000 dollars in legal costs fighting CN over the Quebec Bridge."
2014 - The railway company agrees to paint the bridge if taxpayers foot the bill. We do.
Government of Canada - $75 million dollars.
Quebec City and Levis pay $25 million. (From: "Quebec Bridge paint job spurs battle between CN and government" CBC News, November 29, 2014.)

September 2019 - The Government of Canada decides to buy back the Pont de Quebec, they are working with a negotiator to determine how many millions that will cost.
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Taxpayers of Canada pay CN millions of dollars a year so that Via Rail can use their tracks. Via is a Crown corporation that provides a service for passengers. The tracks were built and paid for by our ancestors.
House of Commons Debates Ottawa 1995.
Mr. Tellier: "Privatization should have no effect on our relationship with Via. Via is a good customer of ours. Year in, year out, Via gives us between $50 million and $55 million of revenue."



Globe and Mail newspaper ad, 2007.


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