The People's Railway.

 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau nationalized CNR tracks and bought freight trains after the people of Churchill, Manitoba were left stranded, when flooding affected the tracks. Residents of Churchill were so happy to be re-connected that they had street parties. The Harper government tried to repatriate the Quebec Bridge.

House of Commons Ottawa February 4, 2013. Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity-Spadina) New Democratic Party. "What is happening is that our national dream is slowly drifting away as CN and CP are abandoning rail lines because they are not always profitable in this vast country of ours. Even though CN made $2.7 billion last year, it is unwilling to service some of the areas that are not turning a substantial profit. Thousands of tracks are being given up, whether they are for passenger rail or freight services."

"We need to reexamine our entire rail service so that we can come back to the Canadian dream of a rail line connecting all of us from coast to coast to coast."

House of Commons Ottawa May 23, 2013. MP Ted Hsu (Kingston and the Islands) Liberal. "Mr. Speaker, I have a question about CN. My NDP colleague spent a few minutes strongly criticizing the privatization of CN. Is he in favour of renationalizing CN?"

MP Alain Giguere (Marc-Aurele-Fortin) New Democratic Party: "...Nationalization is not the problem. Regulation is the problem.You cannot sell a crown corporation... without protecting the consumers."

House of Commons Ottawa May 15, 1995. Mr. John Solomon (Regina-Lumsden,NDP) "Mr. Speaker, the Liberal red book highlighted the importance of Canada's infrastructure to our economy. Yet the Liberal government has done another about face by selling off CN Rail which takes away a vital link in our transportation infrastructure."

"The Canadian people will no longer be participants in our rail economy, the transportation link that built Canada."

"In preparation for the sell-off, CN laid off 11,000 Canadians. As a former trainman for CN Rail, I saw firsthand the good work done in bringing grain and other Canadian products to market. I am one of thousands of Canadians who are deeply concerned about even further job loss caused by putting CN Rail on the auction block."

"With no rules on foreign ownership, CN is destined, with the Liberal governments blessing, to be purchased by individuals and corporations with no interest in Canada's future. The Liberal government is exchanging an east-west transportation system for a north-south system that will see even more foreign control of the Canadian economy."

"Bill C-89 brings to an end Canadians' ownership and control of their own railway and only leaves further job loss and more debt for Canada."

The photo is from "Obscure Train Movies." In 1973 I paid $100 dollars for a CN railway pass that gave me the opportunity to see Canada from coast to coast to coast. I departed from Kingston, Ontario (where I lived) and ended up in British Columbia. I ate a lot of granola, cheese sandwiches and potato chips.