Politics

Politics tamfitronics Open this photo in gallery:A partial nationalization of Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd.’s Canadian assets and operations would mean the companies could continue operating the rest of their North American networks as private companies, and potentially work out future collaborative arrangements with the new nationalized rail entity.Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian PressTaylor C. Noakes is an independent journalist and public historian.Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon’s move to push for binding arbitration in the dispute between railway companies and their workers confirmed what was obvious to most Canadians: Railways are vital to the national economy.What is less obvious is that the country’s principal railways – which have both benefited immensely from direct and indirect public financial and political support since their creation – have demonstrated they really don’t care about their workers,...