tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240Sat, 26 May 2012 22:47:32 +0000PIACGoogle+CRTCIBEWAviation safetyairport linkPublic transitTSBMetrolinxCommission canadienne du blérailwayprivacyTransport CanadaCanadian Wheat BoardVia RailWebster memorial trophy competitiontransitOBSICATSAroad safetyTransport Action CanadaConsumer protectionStrategic communications services for unions, advocates and other people doing the right thing. Jim Goss is well-versed in the Canadian transportation, communications and media industries. This blog is union-made.http://jgossblog.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)Blogger154125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-1805257588377865495Fri, 25 May 2012 17:24:00 +00002012-05-26T09:43:40.513-04:00Transport Action CanadaVia Railhttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/more-passenger-rail-service-cuts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0Bill Ackman and Hunter Harrsion are the new bosses at Canadian Pacific Railway. Farmers, shippers and employees (including management)  are sounding the alarm. (Toronto Star photo)News about TransLink sell-off, STM usagers, Minster should keep her nose out of CP railway strike, Keep the ONTC public, Aviation safety, Building rural transit et plus in this week's Transport Action Hotline. Transport Action red alert, Via Rail cuts,  Winnipeg, May 29 Via Rail is...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-444192660305789184Tue, 22 May 2012 12:44:00 +00002012-05-22T12:57:05.278-04:00Transport Action CanadaVia Railhttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/blue-sky-workshop-on-future-of-via-rail.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)1Transport Action members are developing a blueprint for a best case plan for Via Rail.Since its inception as a Crown corporation in 1977, VIA Rail Canada  has lived a fragile life, buffeted by politics, bureaucracy, hostile competitors and unwelcoming host railways. Today, armed with nearly $1 billion in fresh capital funding from the current government, it would appear that VIA is finally poised for a new era of growth and stability.  But those same antagonistic forces that have...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-8255620555615296428Mon, 21 May 2012 18:31:00 +00002012-05-21T14:47:44.366-04:00MetrolinxTransport Action Canadahttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/transit-needs-basket-of-revenue.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0Paul Bedford told the forum "vision without implementation is hallucination." (Toronto Star photo)“Most participants at a public forum on transportation and transit said they would be willing to pay more – at least  $2 a day - for access to a world class transportation service,” said Peter Miasek, President of Transport Action Ontario. The forum, held at the Markham Civic Centre on May 12 was organized by five grassroots groups to review potential funding tools for ambitious transportation...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-1991501728879355081Sun, 20 May 2012 12:24:00 +00002012-05-20T10:09:35.763-04:00IBEWhttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/culture-of-fear-spurs-union-drive-at.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0The IBEW is inviting CP management to protect themselves by joining the union.On May 17 Canadian Pacific Railway's CEO and six board members stepped down opening the door for wholesale change. For many workers  there is concern the corporation will install former CN boss Hunter Harrison as the new Chief Executive Officer and with him the "culture of fear" that once reigned over CN. This fear was voiced by the outgoing management and is at the root of a new union organizing drive at...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-5466292002056831175Fri, 18 May 2012 17:27:00 +00002012-05-21T11:46:11.737-04:00Transport Action Canadahttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/onr-and-road-safety-facts-bikeway.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0A new bridge will help Kamploopsians get together. Kamloops reconnects, Road safety? Ontario Northland subsidy 23 cents more per passenger than GO Train, Costs of going underground. Inter-city bus service returns to NB and PEI and more in today Transport Action Hotline. Transport Action Atlantic, Bus service and seniors housing among top issues in St. Andrews"Voters in Charlotte County's shiretown say bus services, housing for seniors and employment for young people are issues that...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-2011923716326763732Tue, 15 May 2012 04:03:00 +00002012-05-15T00:08:53.265-04:00road safetyhttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/ottawa-symposium-on-drinking-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0Dr. Brian Jonah will report on the national plan to reduce the number of drunk drivers on Canadian roads. J. Goss + Associates will be covering the Centre for Responsible Drinking Symposium. The Centre reports: "There have been many improvements to strengthen the drunk driver system in the past ten years, and new strategies, supported by research, have informed the development of effective policies and practices." The Centre reports: "Increased coalescence around the need for a...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-4353192784396354536Sun, 13 May 2012 16:49:00 +00002012-05-13T19:18:39.567-04:00Transport Canadaroad safetyhttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/canada-road-safety-week-we-can-do.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0A serious effort dedicated to bringing down the the commercial vehicle kill rate woud help make our roads less dangerous. Canada Road Safety Week runs from May 14 to May 21. Every year the police mark the occasion with increased enforcement, press releases and amusing stories like the one about the driver going 140 km/h while tossing a salad. The federal government's main contribution is to talk about Canada's plan to make our roads the safest in the world and release its most recent...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-393620332425873835Fri, 11 May 2012 18:25:00 +00002012-05-11T18:01:15.775-04:00Transport Action Canadaairport linkhttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/airport-links-in-montreal-halifax.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0Transport Action members mourn the passing of Keith Knox, Past President of Transport 2000 Saskatchewan. (Leader-Post photo) Reports on transit funding in Toronto and Montreal. New regulations on bus service in Manitoba. M. Dubé propose une uniformisation de la taxe sur les immatriculations à un niveau de 75 $ par an et plus in this week's Transport Action Hotline. Hearings explore funding for Montreal-area transit, Transport 2000  "The Montreal Metropolitan Community, the...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-4020333486423463504Mon, 07 May 2012 15:13:00 +00002012-05-08T09:34:59.664-04:00PIAChttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/consumer-protection-for-wireless.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0Public Interest Advocacy Centre News  - Airline and bank consumers stiffed- Cellphone rates in Canada - Bell stung by $1.00 payphone backlash- Fees, services, advertising and on-time performance- Bell veut augmenter ses tarifs- 電話亭打電話 貝爾申請漲價一倍 PIAC supports national wireless consumer code  In a May 4 CRTC submission the Public Interest Advocacy Centre supported a call for a national code to protect wireless consumers. PIAC wants a code that at least meets the provincial consumer...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-4846568106168130854Sat, 05 May 2012 13:03:00 +00002012-05-05T09:38:00.058-04:00Transport Action CanadaVia Railhttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/via-rail-blue-sky-vision-abandoned.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0Transport Action Canada is concerned about the future of passenger rail services in Canada. PEI government kills co-op bus service, Ideas to improve the Canadian, Via Rail annoncera bientôt les réductions de service, Moncton Transit hub and more news in this week's Transport Action Canada Hotline. What is a blue sky vision? Transport Action Canada is concerned about the future of Via Rail. As reported in the Hotline last week the national group is looking for funds, ideas...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-7718019332290612257Thu, 03 May 2012 13:04:00 +00002012-05-03T15:11:00.345-04:00Webster memorial trophy competitionhttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/canadas-best-amateur-pilot-in-2012.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0J. Goss + Associates is a proud supporter of the Webster Memorial Trophy Competition. (Aerographics poster)J. Goss + Associates is a proud supporter of the Webster Memorial Trophy Competition. This year the national competition turns eighty. The contest for bragging rights as Canada's top amateur pilot will be held at the Rockcliffe Flying Club in Ottawa on Aug. 15-18, 2012. The competition is fast becoming an important Canadian event. Over the last few years the field of young...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-3089543618793376114Tue, 01 May 2012 15:17:00 +00002012-05-04T10:58:20.436-04:00OBSIPIACConsumer protectionhttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/finance-minister-will-let-banks-choose.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0The federal Finance Minister had to choose between consumers or the banks. The Minister chose the banks.Financial Consumers Betrayed by Finance Minister's OBSI Decision OTTAWA - The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) today condemned the Minister of Finance's assertion made yesterday that the federal government will not require Canada's banks to resolve banking customers' disputes with the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI). Instead the Minister has stated the government...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-3646160448752251486Sat, 28 Apr 2012 13:11:00 +00002012-04-28T12:07:08.230-04:00Transport CanadaPIAChttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/airline-fees-services-advertising-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0PIAC's Michael Janigan wants stronger consumer protection for Canadian airline passengers. In testimony to the Senate earlier this month the Public Interest Advocacy Centre outlined basic problems with the way Canadian airlines do business. The industry is constantly changing the terms and conditions of fares. Advertised prices are misleading.  Smaller cities are not well-served the consumer watchdog group said. There is no financial monitoring of the airlines. When an airline goes...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-7567485037110234863Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:28:00 +00002012-04-27T14:42:56.850-04:00Transport Action Canadahttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/passenger-transportation-service-cuts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0Transit City was declared dead by Toronto Mayor Rob Ford the day after his election in 2010. On April 25 an Ontario government agency Metrolinx rubber stamped city council's  resurrection decision.Greyhound cuts hurt Saskatchewan bus system, Real money not fairy dust for transit, Le FESTIRAIL 2012 de Charny est en plein essor, Crude oil moving by rail on NB Southern and more in today's Transport Action Canada Hotline. Saskatchewan Transportation Company, Ridership up but...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-6783897019678091831Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:01:00 +00002012-05-04T08:16:01.711-04:00Transport Action CanadaVia Railhttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/canadians-support-national-passenger.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0Canadian government may sell The Canadian. (Pic traingeek.ca) There is a deep base of support for Canada's national passenger rail system. The rationale for passenger rail is powerful. But passenger rail in Canada is under threat.  On Apr. 23 the Globe and Mail reported: "Transport Canada is circulating four options, including privatizing VIA’s Toronto-Vancouver Canadian line, privatizing its Jasper-Vancouver service, reducing VIA’s service to “low-mid level” by selling off its deluxe cars...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-4305217094585480834Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:13:00 +00002012-05-21T14:57:14.552-04:00MetrolinxTransport Action Canadahttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/transportation-and-transit-forum-coming.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0Where will the money come from to build the transit systems needed in the Greater Toronto Area?Grassroots Organizations Press for Clarity on Funding Mechanisms  (May 20 See report on forum) MARKHAM, ON -  April 25, 2012   - Five grassroots groups are  hosting an important  public forum on transportation and transit in the Golden Horseshoe Area of Ontario to review potential funding tools for transportation and transit plans. What:  Moving Forward - A Public...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-7751477071068205268Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:25:00 +00002012-04-23T11:25:01.499-04:00http://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/ottawa-valley-railway-plans-to-be.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0CN wants to donate its railway line  west of  Ottawa to a non-profit community organization. (Campbell’s Bay, QC, April 23, 2012)  The not-for-profit Transport Pontiac-Renfrew (TPR) has provided a progress report including information on a new Board structure and final timelines for the pending acquisition of the CN Beachburg Subdivision railway line.  In an April 19th briefing session for elected officials and representatives from the municipalities through which the...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-7485167804662392923Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:41:00 +00002012-04-20T12:41:41.133-04:00Transport Action Canadahttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/transit-area-benefiting-tax-dedicated.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0Normand Parisien from Transport 2000 Québec is calling for a freeze on transit fare increases. Prairie freight rates post-CWB, Ontario Northland, Not for sale, Sustainable Transportation Indicators for TDM Planning, Via Rail TGV 3h30 min entre Montréal et Toronto et plus in this week's Transport Action Hotline. Transport 2000, La hausse des tarifs dans le transport en commun? «Selon nous, à Transport 2000, on a trop recouru au principe de l'utilisateur-payeur dans le transport en...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-6992456094549426343Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:54:00 +00002012-04-14T12:27:00.041-04:00MetrolinxTransport Action Canadahttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/new-above-ground-subways-for-toronto-le.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0CAPT opposes the Ontario government's plan to privatize the ONTC. A diverse and growing coalition wants to keep the Ontario Northland public,  Le Colloque ferroviaire annuel fut un succès sur toute la ligne and more in this week's Hotline.  Transport Action BC praises investment in Vancouver Island railway "The government of Canada announced its half of the $15 million to save and rehabilitate the Vancouver Island Railway. The railway owned by the Island Corridor Foundation...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-5505805626958393424Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:47:00 +00002012-04-13T10:41:33.455-04:00PIACConsumer protectionhttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/ontario-cell-phone-consumer-protection.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0"We want a thriving rivalry in the wireless market," says PIAC's Michael Janigan. (CBC photo)  The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) welcomes today's introduction of legislation to  control consumer unfriendly practices in the cell phone industry.  PIAC notes that this step mirrors efforts in other provinces such as Manitoba and Quebec to prevent wireless providers from enforcing contractual terms that are unreasonable and anti-competitive.  “We want a thriving rivalry...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-6935736736211826554Wed, 11 Apr 2012 17:54:00 +00002012-05-11T18:43:20.700-04:00Metrolinxairport linkhttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/clean-train-coalition-supports-motion.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0Clean Train Coalition urges the Ontario government to integrate the Pearson Airport to Union Station link with Toronto's mass transit system.TORONTO – Today, Toronto City Council will vote on a motion requesting the Government of Ontario to build the Airport Rail Link (ARL) as a frequent, affordable, multi-stop electric transit service for Torontonians. "We applaud this initiative by Councillor Frances Nunziata with strong backing from Councillor Mike Layton", says Carina Cojeen, co-chair of...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-4809666891914229643Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:10:00 +00002012-04-10T17:15:36.028-04:00Aviation safetyTransport Action Canadahttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/lrt-and-transit-in-alberta-les-trains.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0Mobility pricing conference in Toronto on May 31.Transport Canada aviation safety operation has no rationale and no minimum mandate, Dietrich Bergmann, TransLink ridership up 8.6 per cent in 2011 and more news in today's Transport Action Hotline. Ontario Northland workers say Northern Ontario needs passenger rail investment "Moving forward in the fight to save the ONTC from being divested General Chairperson’s Association President Brian Kelly debunked Premier Dalton...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-1059695036608912403Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:10:00 +00002012-04-02T12:10:56.585-04:00Transport CanadaTransport Action Canadahttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/ontario-northland-not-for-sale-la.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0Northern Ontario vows to fight hard to keep the rail and passenger bus service public. Federal budget cuts Via Rail, devra se serrer la ceinture, Ontario budget privatizes Ontario Northland,  BC Premier doesn't get transit and Rapibus reports in this week's Transport Action Hotline Federal budget, Transport Canada hit hard "The transport portfolio was one of the hardest hit in the (budget) downsizing effort. In total, cuts in federal transportation-related activities will...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-144795481834246287Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:38:00 +00002012-03-29T11:38:21.542-04:00http://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/regent-park-toronto-we-got-richer-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0Regent Park residents will tell their stories at a news conference on Apr. 2.At a news Conference, residents will tell the real story about what is happening in their neighbourhood Join members of the Regent Park community who will speak first-hand about what the revitalization means to them, as Phase One is complete and Phase Two is well underway. As early as the 1960’s, Regent Park residents were concerned about the deterioration of their homes, lack of streets and stigma. In...tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3154607323048781240.post-545216533689982848Fri, 23 Mar 2012 17:27:00 +00002012-03-25T12:09:40.232-04:00Transport Action Canadahttp://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/lrt-in-ontario-politiques-de-transport.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Goss)0Citizen groups are wresting with the details of LRT plans in Waterloo and Ottawa. Toronto's plan looks like it's back on track. ( Graphic from Tri-Tag )Transport Action Ontario AGM, April 21  Transport Action Ontario's Annual General Meeting and public forum will be held:Saturday, April 21, 2012, Metro Hall55 John St., Toronto, Room 303AGM, 10:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Public WelcomeAfternoon public forum: 1:15 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Public Welcome Greg Gormick, among others, will lead discussions in...