(CanWest News Service circulated the following on July 1.)
OTTAWA — The first CN train rolled through the once-barricaded track near Deseronto, Ont. at around 6:15 Saturday morning. It was one of an estimated 25 trains held up Friday in the Toronto-Montreal corridor after Mohawk protesters blocked tracks with an old school bus in the Marysville area. Mark Hallman, media spokesperson for CN, said the trains were holding $100-million worth of cargo.
He would not comment on the damages resulting from the blockade, saying it was “too early to disclose” those details.
Even after the barricades were lifted and most traffic had resumed by 7a.m Saturday between Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal, “normal service” for VIA Rail passenger cars, and CN cargo trains was not expected to resume until sometime Sunday or late Saturday, estimated spokespersons for both companies.
Both VIA and CN share the stretch of track – the most busy line in Canada – which has an estimated 47 trains passing though the corridor daily.
The blockade, which was lifted late Friday, created a traffic jam of freight trains that only started to move at about 6 a.m Saturday, said Catherine Kaloutsky, VIA’s media spokesperson. VIA trains were not in the jam because passenger trains were cancelled Friday morning, and only resumed Saturday.
But the congestion of freights would later cause thousands of train passengers travelling between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal to face “one to two hours of delays”, said Kaloutsky.
“It’s like congestion on the highway,” she said. “The trains are moving but there is some heavy traffic that will be causing delays.”
Meanwhile, CN’s trains slowly began to move out hours after the barricade was dismantled. But Hallman said it would take time for their deliveries to be at full speed.
“It will take a bit of time to get the trains all back to a normal schedule,” he said.
The day of protest was intended to draw attention to First Nations grievances, including unresolved land claims, endemic poverty, the emotional scars of residential schools and the epidemic of teen suicides.
One unnamed trucker whose shipment was held up on Friday did not feel the method of the protesters was justified, reported CTV.
“I don’t think we should honour their treaties if (the protesters) are not going to honour the laws,” he said.
Hallman said trains should be back to a normal schedule for CN anytime “between 12 and 24 hours.” VIA passengers were expected to face delays all day Saturday.