CN Fine Means Questions will go Unanswered

Monday, December 12, 2005 04:00 AM

Jane McKay, the wife of former CN railway engineer Art McKay who died along with Conductor Ken Lequesne, says her husband would not have stood by without saying something and she feels she must speak up on his behalf.

McKay along with Lequesne, both 51, died when the train they were operating plunged off a bridge and into ravine catching fire in May of 2003.

Last week CN was fined $75,000 dollars on one count for failing to ensure proper documentation and procedures in respect to railway work, inspection and maintenance on that bridge.

Jane McKay says “What I don't understand is why (if Transport Canada is supposed to be regulating CN) they didn't act on the inspection from 1999. Someone should have done a follow-up and Transport Canada should have been on top of it."

CN spokesman Jim Feeney says “There were those that believe the bridge failed under the load , that it collapsed under the weight of the train, independent studies have proven conclusively that wasn’t the case and a broken rail caused the accident”.

Ms McKay says the trial was scheduled to go on for a period of two months and had that happened, a lot of evidence would have come out that now simply will never be heard “And that is why I feel compelled to speak out. Suggesting that somehow the family, being me, is going to be looked after only ads to that arrogance. Money is not going to bring my husband back to his family or help with my present life. The long and short of the matter is that CN, The Transport board and the Transport Safety Board have not done enough to ensure that this type of thing will not happen again.”

She goes on to say “CN & Transport Canada told us that they have a new system in place for inspections and maintenance, but I don't feel confident that it will be much better. Who is going to make sure that inspections and work get completed? Transport Canada and Crown Counsel mentioned many times just how many bridges they have to check on. Do they need more staff? The report on the bridge in 1999 showed that there should be work done and in a further report in 2003 no work had been done. I feel that there would have been a much bigger outcry had the accident involved a fully loaded Via rail train, but to me, the death of my husband and his friend, is enough to see that right is done.”

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