Deregulation terrorism is running rampant and nobody cares?
Why are Canada's Trains Vulnerable?
Good Old Capitalist Cost-Cutting
Leo Panitch
The fireball in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, flashed around the world last week as a very hot news item. Thirty-five people are now confirmed to have been killed, with 15 more still missing and presumed dead, as a result of the explosions of crude oil carried by the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway's runaway freight train.
When Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper quickly showed up to offer his condolences, this also made international news. What has not received quite as much international attention as it has here in Canada, is what has since been revealed about Transport Canada, the federal government regulator of the railway industry which decided only last year to allow MM&A to run each train with only one engineer. Amidst all the apportioning of blame -- and there is plenty enough to go around -- our sober attention must also turn to what this appalling incident, like the terrible Bangladeshi textile factory fire just over a month ago, tells us about the dark side of competitive markets, and the complicity of governments committed to facilitating their spread around the globe.
When Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper quickly showed up to offer his condolences, this also made international news. What has not received quite as much international attention as it has here in Canada, is what has since been revealed about Transport Canada, the federal government regulator of the railway industry which decided only last year to allow MM&A to run each train with only one engineer. Amidst all the apportioning of blame -- and there is plenty enough to go around -- our sober attention must also turn to what this appalling incident, like the terrible Bangladeshi textile factory fire just over a month ago, tells us about the dark side of competitive markets, and the complicity of governments committed to facilitating their spread around the globe.
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