RESOLUTIONS UNANIMOUSLY ENDORSED BY THE VIA RAIL =
PUBLIC LOBBY ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING HELD
JANUARY 27, 1984

THAT WHEREAS exhaustive analysis by the Canadian Transport
Commission conclusively demonstrated that passenger rail

. service between Winnipeg and Vancouver over the southern
-CP line and northern CN line is required to adequately
serve the travel needs of Western Canadians; a

AND WHEREAS the Federal Government's termination of the
Super Continental service has had a serious detrimental
effect on travel and tourism throughout the West;

AND WHEREAS the intercity trains which have replaced the
- Super Continental have proven to be inadequate; ;

AND: WHEREAS Transport Minister, Lloyd Axworthy's recent .
announcement on‘the restoration of a Winnipeg/Edmonton -

. through: service igs a welcome step, but major communities
located on the CN. line are still deprived of.direct © =.

service to Vancouver; . a, po ae

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Federal Government reinstate

‘the entire Vancouver-Jasper~Edmonton-Saskatoon-Winnipeg Super
Continental rail service, with connection onward to Central

_ Canada. .

.-
-— oe =~

THAT WHEREAS VIA's ‘transcontinental trains’ rolling stock
dates back to the mid 1950's and is now-extremely cost
inefficient, unreliable and therefore, unable to meet the
demands placed on it by the travelling public;

“AND WHEREAS VIA is preparing to undertake a $29 million
“research program to develop a transcontinental prototype

“to be. ready for 1986;

AND WHEREAS general recent Canadian studies have demonstrated —

“that readily available bi-level equipment, similar to what
Amtrak now operates, could reduce VIA's operating costs in

the 30% to 50% range, with a six year pay back period for

the capital investment;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Federal Government
_modernize VIA Rails’ equipment and facilities for their

Western Transcontinental services.

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