Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watcgl.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!watnot!watcgl!jchapman
From: jchapman@watcgl.UUCP (john chapman)
Newsgroups: can.politics
Subject: Re: Low Cost Transportation
Message-ID: <2665@watcgl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 18-Oct-85 15:51:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: watcgl.2665
Posted: Fri Oct 18 15:51:47 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 19-Oct-85 06:24:43 EDT
References: <2649@watcgl.UUCP> <53@ubc-cs.UUCP>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 42

> In article <2649@watcgl.UUCP> jchapman@watcgl.UUCP (john chapman) writes:
> >
> >Why should we, in general, subsidize the air fares of foreign nationals
> >Brad?
> 
> Why should we subsidize the air fares of Canadians even more, John? We
> already contribute $85 toward each passenger on VIA rail. We certainly don't
> need to extend this to the airline industry. 

I don't recall saying that we should. I certainly don't think we should
feel we need to subsidize foreign nationals just because we might 
subsidize travel by Canadians.

As to VIA, I agree the service is atrocious and expensive.  I've been
travelling by train on and off for the last 16 years, from east coast
to west and the service has been declining continually (as an aside
it always seemed the cn trains we're better kept and gave better
service compared to the other guys).  If you look at the ways the
rails are run it seems pretty clear that neither CN or CP wants to
carry passengers anymore - they can make much more money shipping
large volume freight (they won't ship small stuff anymore).  They
(to my knowledge) continue to carry passengers because they have to.

> 
> > I don't see how Canada could help but benefit from a stronger
> >national identity and it certainly is necessary to be able to travel
> >to and/or communicae with your (national) neighbours to feel a sense
> >of unity.
> 
> I am not totally convinced that travel and communication are enough to 
> promote a sense of unity. As you point out the Americans have a rallying

They may not be sufficient but they probably help a lot, and in Canada's
case I think they are necessary.

> point with their flag and constitution and these symbols are probably
> far more important than the uniform, compared to Canada, population
> distribution. It is my distinct impression that the Easterners don't
.
.
. 
> Donald Acton