CN In Court Again

The click clack, click clack another train disaster on the track. CN being brought to justice again, for causing yet another environmental disaster.

This time it was a forest fire, outside of St. Albert in 2001. Again the wheels of justice move slowly when it comes to corporate criminals. But should you shoplift $5 bucks worth of make-up they throw the book at ya and your in jail faster than you can say Perry Mason.

Not so for our corporate citizens, and since corporations are considered 'individuals' under the law in North America, who with their battery of high priced lawyers can avoid justice being done and being seen to being done.

CN stalls for years and then come the court case capitualtes and admits it's guilt.

CN Rail to plead guilty in Chisholm fire in 2001
The trial of CN Rail and three other rail companies over a fire in 2001 near Chisholm began in a St. Albert court today with the lawyer for CN saying the company plans to plead guilty.

Judge Leo Burgess of provincial court said he will hear the guilty plea after the prosecution presents it case against three other rail companies that are fighting the charge. The trial is expected to last 2 1/2 month.

This follows a $18.6 million out-of-court settlement reached last week between CN Rail and the Alberta government over a May 2001 wildfire that destroyed 10 homes in Chisholm, 150 kilometres north of Edmonton, and scorched 116,000 hectares of forest. The fire cost about $30 million to suppress, making it among the costliest forest fires in Alberta history.

CN Rail, along with RaiLink Canada Ltd., RaiLink Ltd. and RailAmerica Inc., were charged under the Forest Prairie and Protection Act with “conducting an activity in a forest protection area without exercising reasonable care.” The companies face a fine of $5,000 if convicted.

Of course, cause its bad for business to have a long drawn out court case that might expose the company to further civil law suits. Better to cry Uncle and pay the fine. CN paying $18.6-million over 2001 Alberta fire

Again the company sacrifices the community and public interest and safety on the altar of the bottom line. Their failure to maintain their track. Just like all the other disasters they had in 2005. It's called Risk Assessment. Where the risk of getting caught is less important than making a profit.It's the result of the privatization of this former publicly owned and operated corporation.

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