Dear Minister MacKinnon;
I was born on a small dairy farm on the south shore of the beautiful Ottawa River on November 20, 1926. My mom, Janey, was born on a much larger dairy farm on April 8, 1886. The farm she was raised on had been settled by her great-grandfather. He and his family had travelled from Wells, Vermont in 1804. They didn’t travel by high-speed rail! Their sleigh was pulled by a yoke of oxen in the winter of 1804, so they could cross streams, rivers and lakes on the ice. No high-speed rail was available! Hiram, their six-year-old son, was a member of this courageous family who wanted to remain loyal to the Crown, so they were moving to Canada. This would have taken great courage or “gate” as we say around here!
They toiled and sweated and prayed as they cleared land and tilled the soil. Today, Keith, the great, great grandson of Hiram, operates the 500-acre beautiful farmlands. He grows hay, oats and corn to help feed the 125 head of Holstein cattle and heifers that produce cheese and milk for you, your family and other Canadians. What a history! How proud we are of this glorious heritage. I am equally certain you and your family are very proud of your heritage; as well you should be.
At a recent information meeting, Keith and his neighboring farm and other local affected farmers in attendance were advised that the proposed rail line should probably be built across their farms. Acres of good farmland would be destroyed, farms torn down, acres of land lost and livelihoods very seriously disrupted or forever destroyed. The rail line may also mean the disruption of my mum’s home, where Keith’s mother now lives. It would also be built approximately 450 feet east of Keith’s present home built in 1925. What a potential disaster!
The train would then take an electrical bridge over the Ottawa River into Québec. Memories lost forever! Shameful and most unnecessary! Unfortunately, Keith cannot expand his acreage because a 1,700-acre provincial park borders his farm to the imminent east. Memories lost forever Mr. Minister of Transport! Truly a catastrophic mess for hundreds and hundreds of hardworking farmers in Ontario and Québec. Please stop this foolishness today!
As proud Canadians we are extremely grateful for our many freshwater lakes, streams, rivers, forests, minerals, our blue skies, fresh air, our freedom and the millions of acres of fertile farmlands. Thanks to our dedicated farmers coast to coast for their hard work and their daily challenge.
Here is my plea, Minister MacKinnon! Act now Sir and boldly take the ‘bull by the horns’ and cancel this high-speed rail project today! It is not needed and it carries a tremendous cost to all of us. He projected a $90 billion price tag (you can ultimately double or triple this figure by 2037 when the project is finished). This could much more wisely be used to improve present rail lines, improve healthcare to all Canadians, help the needy, develop mines, etc. Please do not burden our and your grandchildren and great grandchildren under a mountain of more debt. Please act responsibly! The ordinary citizen in Trois Rivières, Saint-Télesphore, St-Eugène, Vankleek Hill, Smiths Falls, Campbellford, or Chute-à-Blondeau will never use this rail line service you and our government is proposing.
On behalf of thousands of rural and small-town citizens, and our farmers, I beg you CANCEL this illogical and expensive unworthy project! As I see it, the only few beneficiaries could be some executives, millionaires, politicians and contractors.
Let’s have a referendum in the fall of 2026 for citizens in Ontario and Québec to help convince you that this is a costly and unnecessary project.
By the way, the Parti Québecois has stated IF they form the next Québec government, they will cancel this ill-conceived and costly project.
Yours sincerely,
Wyman Bradford
In memory of Hiram, our dear ancestors and farmers everywhere
