Lac-Mégantic: what a scandal | The Journal of Montreal

All Quebecers should watch Philippe Falardeau’s documentary on the Lac-Mecantic disaster. And all Quebecers should be outraged.

It is the most outrageous Quebec, Canadian and North American scandal in the last 10 years.

To paraphrase Peloquin on the mural of the Grand Théâtre de Quebec, I would say: “Are you sick of the gang of cellarmen dying (of seeing fellow citizens) (carrying dangerous goods by train)? that is enough ! »

Questions that kill

Were you interested in Erin Brockovich’s film about the true story of an activist who fought against industry giants? Do you like Michael Moore’s documentaries that question the authorities? For example, have you flipped through the documentaries on the underbelly of the tobacco industry? You haven’t seen anything yet.

I watched four episodes of Lac-Mégantic: It’s Not an Accident, available on the VRAI platform since Tuesday, and asked myself a thousand and one questions:

– Why did MMA with such a poor safety record allow trains to run through our cities?

– Why does the Government of Canada (through Transport Canada) lead us to believe that it has our safety at heart, when it only has the well-being of the economy at heart?

– Why was there no public inquiry into this shameless scandal?

– Why do the railway companies in Canada do what they want and create a real government within the state?

– Why were families expropriated with unspeakable contempt and arrogance in Lac-Megantic?

– Why were companies left to fend for themselves, as one of the film’s participants summed it up so well: “We guarded the henhouse for the fox”?

– Hazardous Materials Why is all the media attention focused on employees (like Tom Harding) when so little is said about the enormous dangers inherent in the rail industry?

– Why haven’t we increased security measures when oil transport by rail increased by 28,000% between 2009 and 2013?

– Why does Wisconsin, Canada allow only one (one) employee to operate a freight train when it is prohibited?

– Why do we accept that railway companies were once as irresponsible as tobacco companies: we know our product is dangerous, but we continue to turn a blind eye?

Through rose colored glasses

Last week, Canada’s Transport Minister, Omar Alcabra, walked around in pink high heels to show everyone how much he cares about women’s issues. What does it have to do with transportation? No idea.

I want Canadian Transport Minister Philippe Falardo to watch four episodes of his series to explain to Canadians why railway companies are allowed to behave like cowboys from one end of the country to the other. Why is there still no public inquiry into the tragedy that killed 47 people?

Anyway, I wish the minister would take off her pink heels.