How did we get here, and at what cost to Canadians beyond the Quebec-Ontario corridor? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, now a resigned leader holding onto power until a replacement is chosen, committed Canada to a massive infrastructure project that will lock future governments into obligations that are difficult, if not impossible, to unwind. Sources indicate that this $40 billion contract includes clauses specifically preventing future governments from canceling the deal without incurring steep financial penalties.
The decision bypassed proper parliamentary scrutiny. How does a caretaker prime minister get away with making irreversible financial commitments on this scale? Where was the oversight? Where was the debate? Where was parliament?…oh, yeah, right…prorogue’d at Trudeau’s request.
Canada is running the largest deficit in its history. Our national debt exceeds $1.2 trillion. Interest payments alone cost taxpayers over $54 billion annually, more than we spend on health care transfers to provinces. Inflation pressures households. Small businesses struggle. Housing is out of reach for many. Our currency weakens against the U.S. dollar. In the midst of this financial storm, the government locks taxpayers into a megaproject that serves two provinces?
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History teaches that infrastructure can stimulate economies, but only when the investments align with broad national priorities. The Trans-Canada Highway united the country. The St. Lawrence Seaway opened markets. This rail project is not comparable. It binds Toronto and Montreal more closely but leaves the rest of Canada watching from the sidelines.
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We need leadership that prioritizes projects with national reach — energy corridors, northern development, agricultural infrastructure, trade routes to the U.S. and Asia. Instead, we are shackled to a megaproject driven by electoral math, not economic necessity.
Where is the traditional voter base for the Liberals located again? Future governments will inherit this project regardless of shifting economic conditions or public opinion. It is a textbook case of political entrenchment.
Quebec has repeatedly blocked pipelines that would have allowed Alberta’s oil and gas to flow eastward, strengthening energy independence and creating jobs nationwide. Yet, taxpayers from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia are now expected to fund an electric rail line to boost Quebec’s commuter convenience. The double standard is glaring.
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Western energy? Too divisive, too dirty. High-speed trains in Quebec? Visionary, green progress. A prestige rail project will not improve our competitive standing. It will not lower energy costs. It will not strengthen supply chains. It will not bring back manufacturing jobs. It is a vanity project designed to buy votes.
The federal government’s announcement of a $3.9 billion commitment to advance the Alto high-speed rail project connecting Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec City has drawn attention across the country. For those living in Ontario and Quebec, this may seem like a leap forward in transportation. For...
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