Cory Morgan: Some Tough Choices Must Be Made to Ensure Rail Shutdowns Never Happen

Commentary Realizing that a prolonged strike or lockout would have been devastating to the Canadian economy and could have crushed several sectors dependent on the timely delivery of goods, the federal government imposed binding arbitration to end the rail stoppage. Beyond the economic dangers presented by an interruption in rail service, the safety of Canadians could have been put at risk if the delivery of chemicals for public water supply treatment or propane for home heating had been disrupted. Canadians have taken reliable rail service for granted, and the recent dispute should act as a wake-up call. The nation’s economy is vulnerable due to oligopolies in transport sectors for both people and goods. Even short disruptions in services from ports, railways, or airlines can have repercussions that last for months. Canada’s GDP per capita and general productivity are already lagging behind those of comparable, developed nations. A lack of reliability in transportation networks exacerbates the issue and can chill outside investment in Canadian industries....