The Transportation Safety Board's final report into the oil train derailment that killed 47 people in Lac-Mégantic last summer confirmed that the tragedy wasn't simply a case of bad luck but also a terrible result of a hands-off approach to rail safety by the government.
The damning report and recommendations released this week highlighted the dangers and all-too-real consequences of the fox-guarding-thehen-house approach to deregulation favoured by the Tories.
Transportation Minister Lisa Raitt preferred to blame the company directly involved in the disaster and deflect any official responsibility. But the report made it clear that the accident also owed much to a lax safety culture that was reinforced by lack of proper oversight by government authorities.
In particular, Transport Canada failed to ensure that repeated safety violations and concerns identified by inspectors were actually addressed. It also failed to ensure theoretical safety practices were actually in place on the ground.
To be sure, since the disaster last summer there have been improvements, including Ottawa's decision to phase out the DOT-111 tanker cars prone to rupturing in crashes. But many other issues remain outstanding. And given the meteoric rise in the amount of oil being shipped by rail car the potential for danger will only grow unless recommendations are heeded.
Rail companies cannot be left to regulate themselves. That is the responsibility of government, whose job it is to look out for public safety. To do less is to turn our backs on future Lac-Mégantics still waiting to happen.
