Jann Arden kicked off Via Rail train for boarding with dog
- Thread starter B00Mer
- Start date
I would think so. People that try to get away with sneaking a dog on the train instead of paying the regular fee usually keep that to themselves. It's a bit like stealing ... it is theft of sorts ... riding the train without a ticket. I can't imagine why she thought that needed to be broadcast across the country. Kind of makes one wonder what else she tries to get away with when it comes to paying her way in life.
I just read her letter to the Ottawa citizen explaining what happened that day.
Janns letter to the Ottawa Citizen
Well, for starters, you have no idea what you're talking about concerning my experience on VIA rail....
but that's not new for reporters who get their information from twitter and other "bloggers" who seem to always stretch the story as far as they can to make it interesting. It was VERY not interesting. It was a typical day in the life of a person who travels for a living. It's all I have done for 25 years. I am not NEW to this. I am not naive. I know the rules. I follow them. I NEVER expect special treatment. I stand in line and I shut my mouth. I pay for my dog to travel by air...I am ALWAYS considerate of others who may not like dogs. Believe me, I was not always a dog person. But that has changed in the past 3 years. I am a convert. I LOVE my dog. She is a constant reminder of how unimportant I am and how wonderful each day is. She makes my life amazing on the road. I am less lonely, less afraid and much more social with others which surprised me too. When I walk my dog everyday, I bet we meet 20ty incredible Canadians that I would otherwise never have met at all. My dog is my heart. She is my social planner.
Just so you know....
My assistant bought the ticket a few days ago. I thought it would be fun to go by train. We've been on the road 6 weeks....we're tired out and I was looking forward to seeing my country out the window that wasn't a tour bus. I could have gone on the bus the night before, but i truly thought the train would be amazing. I figured Via needed a little support...My assistant had NO idea that there was no pets. It didn't dawn on either of us to check. Yes, you might find that hard to believe, but we didn't even think about it. When we are in europe on the train, there are more dogs than people on the trains. It's so interesting and fun. Everybody puts up with everybody else's surroundings. It was never a problem. NOT the point- I know. Perhaps it's because I travel with my 4 lb morkie most of the year. She is with me in EVERY hotel...I PAY a surcharge to cover any concerns that particular hotel might have. It varies where ever I go. I NEVER sneak her in. They know I have her. People are always very kind and understanding. Midi brings so many smiles where ever we go. She's quiet and well behaved and such a character. She has traveled with me since she was 9 weeks old. She's been on over 175 flights....she should have air miles, but I digress.
The train...
Midi's head was out of the bag the entire time we stood in line to board in toronto.I stood there with everybody else, minding my own business. I even signed a few autographs which I never mind doing. I was with my violin player and her friend, so i have witnesses galore. We went past the ticket fellow who checked that we had tickets...we went past the fellow who told us what train to board...we went past the fellow standing by the door of the train letting us on. Midi was on my lap as the fellow gave myself and my pals the safety chat that was at least 90 seconds long....It NEVER dawned on me that midi was a problem because NO one said a thing.
Anyway, about a half hour later, the tea cart came by and the man doling out the beverages asked me if I had a "doll"...
"Pardon me" I said...."No, this is a dog"...it made me laugh....
and then things got very serious.
He called for the man that gave us the security demonstration and the two of them stood over me telling me that my dog could indeed cause grave danger to the other passengers. I was very calm..I said, "well, she is hypo-allergenic if that makes any difference"...
No it didn't make any difference indeed.
The two of them scurried around making calls and it was very dramatic. I just waited patiently for the outcome. I didn't think it was going to be good.
Midi slept through the entire thing...typical...she's no help when I need her to be...
The "security" fellow came back a few minutes later and said that the next station had an "old cage" that I could put midi into and travel in the luggage compartment for the duration of the trip to Ottawa (4 hours) or I would have to disembark. I decided to get off the train. I would no more do that to my dog than I would my mother. I simply, quietly and respectfully, got off the train. Said good by to my pals and told them I'd get to Ottawa somehow. The show must go on.....Like I said, I travel 250 days a year. This is my life. I roll with the punches. I am always jovial, compliant, and filled with good humor. Anyone who knows me knows that.
Honestly, I didn't know where I was being let off..when I said "middle of nowhere" it was not meant to be an insult to the fine people of Oshawa. If you saw the train station and where it is located, you'd know exactly what I meant...there is a car dealership and 10 acres of parking lot, never mind that the station is under construction. It didn't look too inviting. I am sorry if i made it sound like I didn't like Oshawa....I mean really? Why would I not like it? I LOVE MY COUNTRY. All of it.
I just had to figure out what to do.
My only gripe, if i even had one, is that I was let down, a bit confused and kind of scared. I wondered what my mother would have done had she been with midi and asked to leave the train 4 hours before the stop she had planned to go to.
I have credit cards...I have travel experience...
I have people I can call to help me. I travel all the time. i know what to do.
A 78 year old woman may have had a few more issues. It would be bloody scary to say the least to be let off a train with all your stuff into a giant parking lot.
That's ALL i was meaning to get across. Not the best solution as far as I am concerned.
Midi could have quietly finished her ride with me...zipped up sleeping at me feet, no one the wiser. I would NEVER have done it again, because like I said, I didn't know.
That would have been nice. It would have been easier. But that wasn't to be. No worries.
I got off the train like anybody else. No favors, no special treatment.
I hired a car.
Got to my gig.
Performed for the fine folks of Ottawa.
Tomorrow, another town and another train and another bus and another hotel and another plane.
I am grateful for the amazing life that my fans enable me to have.
and that's the whole truth,......so help my dog.
I thought the issue was more to do with having a dog in the passenger car, where they aren't allowed. She's lucky the offense wasn't two "dogs".
Yes, according to her side of the story, she definitely was trying to pull a fast one. Yup. She figured that because she's a diva, she could tell VIA what to do, and how to treat her. Yeah, she's obviously feeling entitled and special, yup.
Wow, stooping to an all time low?? Starting to call women dogs.. why don't you go all the way and say Bitch.
Boys have no respect for women these days, and a Canadian icon. We should be proud of our Canadian actors, singers and support them.. they are just human like the rest of us and make mistakes..
JLM, please sing for us.. oh that's right you're not famous, just some Internet junky posting on forums.
My take on it that she's saying that she, almost 50 years old, travels 250 days a year with her dog, is well aware that she has to make arrangements for her dog regardless of whether it is for travel or hotel stay, but all of a sudden she and her assistant completely forgot about the dog and so she boarded the train without any clue that special arrangements had to be made when traveling with animals.
When she had the opportunity to continue traveling with her dog in the same way that all other Canadians do - with the dog in baggage - she couldn't deal with it so she chose to get off the train "in the middle of nowhere", otherwise known as Oshawa. She apparently felt put out by these rules so everyone across the country had to hear about it.
When she had the opportunity to continue traveling with her dog in the same way that all other Canadians do - with the dog in baggage - she couldn't deal with it so she chose to get off the train "in the middle of nowhere", otherwise known as Oshawa. She apparently felt put out by these rules so everyone across the country had to hear about it.
You got it pretty well pegged! :smile:
Sorry I was remiss! After all "bitch" is the proper terminology for a female dog! I won't let it happen again, promise! :smile:
No you're right and she has a good sense of humor and that's what us guys like the most.
[rolleyes thingy]
JLM - you really are one nasty old fuker, aren't you?
I think you need to up your meds, looks like dementia is taking over. Insults and nastiness is a common sign of early stages of Alzheimers in old fuktards, you know.
Feel free to run off to your pal Talloola and hurl more insults at me.