Attached you will find Transport Canada’s Notice of Approval (subject to conditions) for the revisions to the Track Safety Rules.
Robert D. Smith
National Legislative Director
Teamsters Canada Rail Conference
 |
Transport Canada letter to the Railway Association of Canada (RAC) |
|
Rules respecting track safety - Appendix B |
|
Rules respecting track safety - Appendix C |
Rail Safety Act clears another hurdle
The House Committee on Transportation completed its review of the Rail Safety Act and reported its findings to the House of Commons just before the last election which can been the death of a Bill. Transport Minister Denis Lebel reintroduced the Bill in the Senate, word for word, as reported by the House Committee. This means that all of the Teamster amendments remained intact and are included in the Bill.
Phil Benson, Lobbyist, William Brehl President Teamsters Canada Rail Conference – Maintenance of Way, and Rob Smith Legislative Director Teamsters Canada Rail Conference appeared before the Senate Transport Committee to support the bill and urge its quick passage, the only union to appear.
The Senate is planning to pass the Rail Safety Act on December 1st, and we expect it will be unanimously supported by all Senators.
We hope that the process can start before the Members of Parliament take their winter break. Once the House finishes its deliberations the Bill will become law.
When the Bill is finally passed it will make a real difference, and in large part because it is good legislation thanks to the hard work Teamster Canada Rail Conferences.
Representatives of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference insisted to keep the government focussed on health and safety issues. The Teamsters Union would also like to thank Minister Lebel as well as Brian Jean, MP representing Fort McMurray, for the role they played in the review of the Rail Safety Act.
Now we are so close to the end of the process, we should reflect that it has been nearly a decade of work to make this possible. Yet, the work will just begin as the regulatory process will start, and the Teamsters will be there.
The Teamsters Union represents 125,000 members in Canada in all trades. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, with which Teamsters Canada is affiliated, has 1.4 million members in North America.
Information:
Stéphane Lacroix, Director of Communications, Teamsters Canada
Mobile: 514-609-5101
Office: 450-682-5521 x236
Email: slacroix@teamsters.ca
