FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 17, 2002

SAFETY IN NUMBERS: CPR CUTBACKS SPELL DANGER

OTTAWA - The BMWE, the railway Union representing track, bridge and building maintenance and construction workers, is concerned that CP Rail has gone too far in manpower reductions.

The latest cuts by CPR to staff, combined with ever shrinking track maintenance budgets, are the most serious railway safety concerns that could affect Canadians. "CPR trains hurtle along at speeds up to 65 miles per hour and are most often well over a mile long," said Mr. John Kruk, System Federation General Chairman of the BMWE. "These trains are often comprised of 85 tonne rail cars filled with dangerous commodities like liquified petroleum gas, chlorine, caustic soda, sulphuric acid, etc. It is clear to see the potential for disaster for those who live alongside CPR Tracks" warned Mr. Kruk. It would be foolish not to remember the chlorine gas tankers that derailed in Mississauga in 1979 and the subsequent evacuations and sickness which were the result.

More recent examples include a February 2nd 2001 derailment in Red Deer, Alberta, where several derailed cars contained anhydrous ammonia, with one leaking. More than 1000 people were evacuated for three days. The unofficial cause of the incident was "wide gauge", which is a track fault. On November 23rd, 2001 a train derailed in Port-Moody, B.C. Three of the six derailed cars contained fuel oil, and the car attached to the last one off the track contained propane. Approximately 50 people were evacuated for three days. Again, the unofficial cause of the derailment was "wide gauge". It is the BMWE position that dangerous commodities are best handled by rail, but that the rail system must be properly maintained. BMWE workers at CPR are consistently raising concerns that they cannot possibly maintain CPR track to acceptable standards with current manpower levels.

It is important to point out that derailment statistics can often be misleading and do not truly reflect the current state of CP's infrastructure. "It took a lot of cuts over the last few years before we came forward with this concern, but we feel strongly that CPR has now crossed the line on safety and we all need to be aware of this," stated Mr. Kruk, "While CP may point to its safety record as being one of the best in North America the condition of the track infrastructure points to CPR being the luckiest, not the safest, Railway in North America in regard to track related derailments".

The cutting of over a thousand maintenance positions in the last 10 years is a major contributing factor in making CP Rail's track infrastructure far less safe than it was and should be. Public safety urgently requires that this dangerous trend must be immediately arrested if not rolled back.

The BMWE is concerned not only with the welfare and safety of its workers but is also in the key position to assess the risk that CPR's lax safety policies pose for the Canadian public. -30- For further information contact: Alta. and B.C. - Mr. W. Brehl (250) 837 5831 Sask. and Man. - Mr. R. Heinrichs (306) 773 0591 Ont. Mr. M. Couture (519) 668 2076 Que. Mr. G. Beauregard (450) 435 1883

Or Martine Bouchard (613) 731 7853 Director of Communications