Listen to letters for and against the High-Speed Rail read by Peter Mansbridge on The Bridge https://open.spotify.com/episode/2FVMYXaCoh2p98U2cLQ7e1?si=cXVvFHkfRaGkFqKXqY1FkQ&fbclid=IwY2xjawR1NxlleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFnZnVwbkNWT29zUG5yUUxIc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHrEQUPe8iWLhBa_MEkw6yJe5CwCpBOHxjnuSZ9x_xOfle6QdcbALA8Gaqs3M_aem_U_sEZoTfF0k7lxaI3CvYGg&nd=1&dlsi=978857f72ae74f50
Via Rail subsidiary paid Quebec marketing firm $330K as it pivoted to high-speed rail.
Hey everyone
The Alto protest at Parliament Hill is coming up fast. June 10 from 12 PM to 3:30 PM. Here is the list of speakers copied from Facebook. We hope to see you there!
June 10th Speakers/Itinerary:
Event Program
Start of the event (bilingual speech): reminder of the objective, course of the event, and impacts on citizens
Robert Charron (maestro and spokesperson for the group of citizens opposed to the TGV Alto QC-ON)
Impacts on farmland in the Montreal and Ottawa corridor
Mr. Christian Couvrette (President UPA Ste Scholastique/Mirabel) - French
Impacts on the agricultural sectors
Ms. Jenn Pfennig - NFU Ontario President
Review of the 1969 expropriations, Alto and costs
Member of Parliament Mr. Jean-Denis Garon / BQ - French
Speech
The Honourable Mr. Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Opposition / CPC (French & English)
Impacts and advocacy
Federal MP Mr. Jacques Gourde / CPC - French
Respect for citizens affected by this project
Ms. Kathleen, spokesperson for the United Front (Ontario team)
The foundation of civilization
Mr. Philippe Leroux - President UPA Deux Montagnes - French
Impact on municipal planning and development
Ms. Paula Banks - Municipal Elected Member, Rideau
The importance of land protection and the next generation
Mr. Sébastien Peeters - President UPA Argenteuil - French
Importance of preserving agricultural zones for future generations
Family member of Mr. Ben Hammond / QC-Ontario (English)
The impacts of the 1969 expropriation and mental health
Mr. Sylvain Ethier (expropriated) - French
Parceling of farms and farming difficulties
Mr. Bruno Proulx, spokesperson for the Association of Farmers Against the HS Alto Train (French and English)
The impacts on the maple syrup industry
Mr. Vincent Olivier Vermette (owner) - French
The blind spot and mental health / The forgotten risk with mental health
Ms. Audrey Arcand & Mr. Eric Laflamme (Écoute Agricole) - French and English
Financial KPIs on the project
MP Scott Reid (Lanark-Frontenac) PC
Break
Where is the government ethics
MP Michael Barrett / PC (Rideau Lakes)
End of the protest
Next steps / Closing remarks
Robert Charron & group picture (French & English)
Representatives of UPA, NFU, Alt-No
Under the heading of "Believe it or Not!"
Alto is sponsoring the Festival Franco-Ontarien! What a slap in the face to franco-ontariens in Eastern Ontario that will have their property expropriated.
Update: the post on Festival Franco-Onterien's Facebook past noting support from ALTO has been taken down.
Update: The Festival and Alto have ceased their relationship. Bravo to all who raised awareness to this tone deaf move by Alto to fund the Festival and the Festival to receive the money.
Lots of money for advertising and high bonuses all around. Unbelievable!
On Facebook, Veterans for the Conservative Party of Canada shared this info from Blacklock's Reporter on June 5:
Thank you City of Ottawa Mayor and Councillors for your unanimous support today on the motion from Councillor Kitts on the Alto High-Speed Rail. Well done!
Watch here starting at 2:30:30. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gTkwWCsdMg
The motion by Councillor Kitts was seconded by Mayor Sutcliffe. Read the motion here - Item 22.5.
If you haven't been following Erin Durant's Substack posts (Durant's Rants) about the Alto High-Speed Rail, you are missing out on some important information. Two examples that I found especially disturbing about this project are:
https://thealtofiles.substack.com/p/the-government-didnt-choose-high
