“Put simply, a rail stoppage put’s our economy in harm’s way — and that hurts everyone,”writes Chris Lane.
Our economy runs on the rails. Canada’s rail system carries $380 billion worth of goods every year. With $49.3 billion of that coming out of Saskatchewan, it’s fair to say our province has an outsized reliance on a fully functioning, efficient rail system.
Put simply, a rail stoppage puts our economy in harm’s way — and that hurts everyone.
In the short term, a supply chain disruption of this scale could deepen Canada’s existing productivity issues, potentially lowering GDP growth. The long-term impacts of a rail service disruption may be even more concerning and more widely felt.
More directly impacted, though, would be the 4,100 people working in Regina’s transportation and logistics sector, which is responsible for $1.3 billion in sales annually.
There is no winner in a rail strike, but the potential for collateral damage is real and significant.
We encourage all sides in this issue to continue working toward a constructive, workable solution that, first and foremost, keeps the trains moving.
Chris Lane, Regina
Lane is President and CEO Economic Development Regina Inc.
Value of CBC found on Juno Beach
As a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, I appreciate that this June 6, CBC was again at Juno Beach covering the commemoration, and talking to the 13 surviving veterans able to attend.
CBC television broadcast a two-hour special of the commemorative ceremony and events on the day that included historical film footage and interviews with some of the attending elderly veterans and their families.
Fox News and talk/shock-jock radio did not, and never will, do the CBC type of in-the-field reporting that ties our country together by documenting the ongoing story of Canada.
Just as importantly, the light that CBC professional reporting often shines into the dark corners may sometimes make politicians of all stripes squirm but serves a critical function in the health of our Canadian democracy.
Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has pledged to defund the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation if he forms the next government. I urge his supporters to ask him to reconsider this destructive promise.
If the CBC is defunded, a generations-old tie that binds our nation and one of the fundamental pillars of Canadian democracy will be broken.
Doug Bone, Elrose
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