Says Mulder, “Under a Crown Corporation model, the responsibility would be on the shoulders of the Province. The provincial government would be expected to review and approve plans on all major projects, fund the largest portions of the costs and accept most of the risks. Simply put, the buck would stop at Queen’s Park.

The report questions whether this is the right time for the Province to accept such responsibilities given uncertain mineral markets and prices, a growing provincial deficit and debt, unresolved First Nations issues and environmental assessments. As an alternative solution, a model similar to the Transportation Authority model would disperse risks and responsibilities among diverse stakeholders."

My take on this story...

We know it makes sense to have a road first...so I'll put that aside.

Let's focus on the Crown Corporation model for rail. Let's use CN Rail as an example.

"In February 1995, the Government announced it was intent on privatizing Canadian National and on November 17, 1995 occurred the largest initial public stock offering in the history of our country. Ironically, US investors had more faith in the now private company than many Canadian investors, who still incorrectly regarded CNR as an arm of the government.

In 2011, Canadian National Railways had a Net Income of $1.2 B. CN employs a total of 23, 230 employees in Canada and the US. CN has transformed itself from a high cost carrier to a profitable enterprise. Privatization turned it into a lean, competitive rail carrier. In his book on CN, author Tom Murray states that “privatization finally freed CN Management from the need to look over its shoulder to see what politicians and bureaucrats thought about its business activities.” It was free to focus on the bottom line.

CN stands as a case study in how to successfully transform an arm of the state into a profitable multinational corporation

Bill Gates is the largest shareholder of CN RAIL approx 12% of the company at 4.7 billion.

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So,...where I'm going with this is...

There's lots of fricken moola to be made from a rail. I'm sure guys like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet would be VERY interested to be INVESTORS.

But how do you do this ..if's it's a crown corp model??

Rather than talk about the oodles of money rail makes...when it's properly managed..why not talk about cost and RISKS and all the negative you can possibly spew...

I'm sure there's folks similar to Buffet and Gates ...that would love the RISKS and COSTS and NEGATIVE NEGATIVE thrown out there...and offer to take control of this highly risky negative undertaking.

The line from the Northern Policy Institute that stated:

The report questions whether this is the right time for the Province to accept such responsibilities ....

"As an alternative solution, a model similar to the Transportation Authority model would disperse risks and responsibilities among diverse stakeholders."

My interpretation is :

There are stakholders foaming at the mouth at the thought of investing in this rail..let them take majority of profits ..not the province.....I mean...uh. uh .risks ..and reponsibilities..