A recent article in the Vancouver Sun caught my attention. This type of corporate behavior is pathetic to say the least. Is there no one person in government who will stand up and say enough is enough? Or are our elected and porkbarrelled (sorry, appointed or annointed) so afraid of losing something (like status or money) that they shiver in their boots at the thought of standing up for those who elected them.?
CN charged with dangerous goods transport violations
Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun
Published:Â Thursday, December 18, 2008
Canadian National Railway is facing a series of charges arising from movement of dangerous goods after it failed to heed a Transport Canada order to properly track of the cargo it was moving through Metro Vancouver.
Transport Canada said Wednesday it has filed seven charges against CN, including one violation of the Railway Safety Act and six under Transportation of Dangerous Goods. {snip}
CN also faces six charges for failure to prepare and carry accurate information while transporting railway vehicles containing dangerous goods.{snip}
"The matter is before the courts. CN doesn't have any further comment," said CN spokesperson Kelly Svendsen. {snip}
(does this company take its' direction from the BC Provincial Liberals...Gary E)
"The railway safety inspector issued a notice and order to them on July 12, 2007," Glover said. "The inspection unveiled numerous instances of incorrect listing of all railway cars in a train while handling dangerous commodities.
"Subsequent inspections revealed that there were still some trains operating on the main line with inaccurate train listings.
"That happened on December 8. As of last week we decided to take enforcement action."
Earlier this year, a parliamentary committee stated in a report to the House of Commons that a "culture of fear" at CN makes it difficult for employees to report safety violations at the railway.
Railway employees told the standing committee on transport, comprised of federal members of parliament, that they found it difficult to maintain a safety culture at the railway because they feared reprisals and disciplinary action if they voiced concerns.
The committee gave CN a failing grade, one out of five, for its failure to implement safety management standards that had been introduced in 2001.
(and this is called profit at the expense of lives....Gary E)
In August 2007 Environment Canada laid five charges against CN in connection with a 2005 toxic chemical spill that wiped out fish in the Cheakamus River near Squamish
(I can't put my finger on it exactly but this type of corporate behavior tells me that any company that acts in this way is arogant and is pretty sure that it will get away with these actions. Why else would they repeat the actions that they have been cited for?...Gary E)
1 comment:
Gary,
Did you notice that recent story about CN and the Canadian flags??
It happened at the big Transcona Wheel Shop when some maintenance required that two enormous Canadian flags had to be lowered from the rafters where they had been hanging for a long time.
When it came time to replace the Canadian flags, CN issued orders NOT to do so.
Shop workers presented their protest. But CN management refused again.
Last I saw in CanWest media, the big flags were still nowhere to be seen ... but there were plenty of small Canadian flags on display throughout the CANADIAN NATIONAL WHEELSHOP.
It's a steady battle.
BC Mary
.
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