Here’s one of the letters written — with the MPP’s response.
Some people have shared some pictures with me. They’re over in the ‘Odds & Ends’ blog.
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Sent: April 30, 2007 11:33 AM
To: Bisson, Gilles
Subject: ONR Botches Customer Service
Hi Mr. Bisson,
I am sending you this e-mail to file a complaint towards the Ontario Northland Railway and the incident that left 68 people stranded in Cochrane this past Friday and Saturday. On Friday April 27 — I along with 65 or so other people — were onboard the Moosonee train to return to Moosonee. We were out about 12 miles when we were forced to turn back because of a washout. That was understandable. We arrived at the Cochrane station at approximately 12:20 pm with signs posted that the train would not be departing Cochrane for a minimum of 12 hours. During this time we waited for direction from Ontario Northland Railway Passenger Services Manager Mr. Terry Vachon. At no time were we offered food or water.
Mr. Vachon arrived at approximately 2:20, went to his office through the back door and called to OPP. When the OPP arrived at 3 pm on the Friday Mr. Vachon appeared from his office he bypassed 60 or so locals and proceeded to a French speaking couple first and told them what was going on and then proceeded to another group of “white people” and then when we asked him to speak to us as a group he said he was going to make an announcement on the PA. We asked him to speak to us in person and when we did the OPP moved closer. We asked if meals and accommodations would provided and he responded “no, this was an act of god and we will not be providing anything”.
A family that had just lost their mother/grandmother were on the train going to Moosonee with a baggage car load of flowers etc… for the family service at 7 pm that Friday evening, and were told that no alternative transportation would be offered. I then called the ONR in North Bay and was transferred to the Vice-President. The story was the same as they were not and could not do anything for us. When I threatened media coverage with the MCTV news, Timmins Daily Press and Toronto Star the tone changed and a call was placed to Mr. Vachon who played it out like he had been waiting for the call from the VP. It was then that the people were given meals and accommodations and flights were booked for the family to attend the funeral.
This is when we think the media was contacted by the ONR stating that they gave us everything and everything was fine. We all know that is what happened and were made to look like fools and also took our leverage away for negotiations. This was 4 pm, 4 hours that we had been sitting in the station, women and small children and elders. I along with my father and a couple of friends of the family took the family, flowers and baggage to the airport and got everything that we could in the seven and nine seat planes to make the family service. The ONR did not co-ordinate anything nor did they acknowledge that once on route they are responsible for the passengers.
We were then told at 5pm that the train would be leaving Cochrane the next morning, Saturday at 10:45 am to Moosonee. We were told to be at the station for the 10:45 departure. The tracks were fixed and then gave away again and now at 11:00 am we were told that we would be flying Air Creebec within the hour. Air Creebec were grounded due to the fiber optic break caused by the further damage and all long distance phones were severed. This means no clearance could be obtained to take off out of Moosonee once they landed in Moosonee. We were not told this but a pilot happened to be in our group and had indicated that to Mr. Vachon. Again we waited till 3pm, no water offered, but the Station Inn employees went into action returning all to rooms that were available and the ticket agents and baggage employees helped out with whatever we needed. The restaurant provided food once again, not the Manager of Passenger Services.
3:30 we were told nothing until Mr Lawrence Martin, Mayor of Cochrane, entered the station along with some of our help took over the situation and had 3 Thunder Air planes enroute to Cochrane airport. A manifest was created by the ticket agent as Mr. Martin and stranded people began the order of who is to go on the planes first, women and small children, elders and the Moose factory due to chopper times to get to the Island in daylight. It was now pushing 5 pm when the first plane left with the first load. We loaded baggage that we had asked the people to split up and take immediate needs with them as Oscar’s Cartage transported the bags to the airport. The rest of our luggage we hoped would follow but did not. I was on the last plane that evening arriving in Moosonee on a 45 minute flight and arrived at 9:10 pm Saturday. Another plane flew the remainder up the next morning around 9:00 am on Sunday. Mr Martin handled everything in 30 minutes and indicated that he asked Mr. Vachon if he needed the Town of Cochrane Emergency Plan’s help and he was told that everything was under control. This might have saved us 10 hours of standing around herded like a bunch of sheep being watched over by the OPP.
With this we have been treated poorly as the “bread and butter” of the ONR and it’s employees. DeBeers will come and go but we, not the tourists, will still be the ones who ride the train day in and day out. Some segregation, discrimination and humiliation happened this weekend. In this day and age we need a permanent road to Moosonee and Moose Factory Island.
We are still after all these years deemed “non essential service” and are held hostage by the ONR and it’s staff and Air Creebec, (owned by a native man) with the logo “we are here to serve our people” the only airline that cost more to fly from Moosonee to Timmins than Toronto to Jamaica and they are continuously employed for the evacuation of Northern Communities.
A Thank you from all of us to, Mr. Martin, Rochon Buslines, Oscar’s Cartage, ONR Ticket and Baggage Department, Station INN and Restaurant employees, Wabusk Air, Thunder Airlines and many Cochrane residents.
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From: Bisson, Gilles
To: Mike & Valerie Dumoulin
Cc: Gerteis, Helen
Sent: Monday, April 30, 2007 4:05 PM
Subject: RE: ONR Botches Customer Service
Mike just to let you know I received your e-mail and have asked my staff to draft a memo from me to Chair of ONTC, our James Bay Rep at ONTC Randy Kapashisit and the minister about this. We will keep you posted as to results of our intervention.
Gilles Bisson, MPP
Timmins James Bay