Who privatized CN Rail

[Hamloc]

It is interesting to me that many poster's on Agriville vilify our present government for turning Ag over to the mercy of corporations.

To this end I had a quick look at previous governments. I found it interesting that Pierre Trudeau ended the crow rate in 1983. In 1995 it was Jean Chrétien that privatized CN Rail. Did the privatization of CN rail lay the groundwork for the poor rail service we receive today?

I will be the first one to admit Harper has done little to improve rail service but previous government's decisions have helped get us to where we are today!

[fjlip]

Absolutely....you are now "market savvy"...competing with billionaires....so equal aren't we all!

[perfecho]

It was also Trudeau who signed on to borrow money from banks rather than straight thru the Bank of Canada for gov infrastructure...

[cottonpicken]

Bill ackman.......

[Braveheart]

Ackman is the real villain behind CP now. Was he also the villain behind CN?

[sumdumguy]

The Crow ended in 1994 under Chrétien. A capital payment was made to land owners under the WGTPP.

[Braveheart]

No. The Crow ended in 1983. The "rate" was annuitized into the "Crow Benefit" under the Western Grain Transportation Act. Trudeau insisted the benefit be paid to the railways against the advice of his Trnsport Minister Jean Luc Pepin. Trudeau admitted the very next day after passage they'd made a mistake.

Ralph Goodale/Jean Chretian ended the WGTA in 1995 but there was little time left for the benefit was winding down anyway. The big mistake they made was the capital payout to landowners under the false assumption that land prices would fall with the loss if the benefit. They (land prices) did the opposite.

[westernvicki]

Well the biggest mistake was that we did not buy CN shares with the money. As railway shares have had a multiplier factor much greater than land, or for that matter most anything else on the stock market today.

[cottonpicken]

Yes............

[westernvicki]

Yes, well folks had we bought CN shares with the cash at the time with everypenny we would have been WAY better off (wonder if that was part of the strategy to NOT give us shares in the deal at the time, or if that never crossed anyones minds, that farmers having a share may have also had a say in how the corp was run?).

[cottonpicken]

We are a bunch of brain dead sheep Vicki we don't move and fight as one. Sorry to burst anyone's bubble.

[farmaholic]

??????? Land here is trading around 5 times what it was worth in the early 80's, some areas maybe more, some maybe less. I am not arguing the point but would like to know what has CN shares done (dividend included) since they were privatized.
Chart people????

It would be interesting to know.