The federal government’s announcement of a $3.9 billion commitment to advance the Alto high-speed rail project connecting Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec City has drawn attention nationwide. For those living in Ontario and Quebec, this may seem like a leap forward in transportation. But for the rest of Canada, this is another reminder of how the political and economic scales continue to tip toward the country’s most populous regions. At the same time, the pressing needs of other provinces are ignored. It echoes the same disdain shown decades ago when Pierre Trudeau infamously gave the finger to Albertans—a gesture that symbolized the Liberals’ ongoing neglect and contempt for Western Canada.
Backroom Deals: How Did a Resigned PM Sign a $40B Contract?
The project, set to link major urban centers like Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montreal, Laval, Trois-Rivières, and Quebec City, promises travel speeds up to 300 km/h, reducing the Toronto-Montreal trip to about three hours. A consortium called Cadence, consisting of companies like Air Canada, AtkinsRéalis, France's SNCF, Quebec’s pension fund, Keolis, and Systra, will oversee the design, construction, and operation. The marketing pitch emphasizes connectivity and sustainability, but few are asking the most important questions: How did we get here, and at what cost to Canadians beyond the Quebec-Ontario corridor?
Political Maneuvering and Lack of Accountability
Start with the political maneuvering. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, now a resigned leader holding onto power until a replacement is chosen, committed Canada to a massive infrastructure project that will lock future governments into obligations that are difficult, if not impossible, to unwind. Sources indicate that this $40 billion contract includes clauses specifically preventing future governments from canceling the deal without incurring steep financial penalties. The decision bypassed proper parliamentary scrutiny. How does a caretaker prime minister get away with making irreversible financial commitments on this scale? Where was the oversight? Where was the debate?
Canada is Drowning in Debt: Can We Afford This?
This is not just bad governance; it is an affront to democracy and fiscal responsibility. If we are to believe this government still respects those principles, Canadians deserve full transparency on the contractual terms and an explanation for the extraordinary protections granted to this consortium. Future governments will inherit this project regardless of shifting economic conditions or public opinion. It is a textbook case of political entrenchment.
Western Canada Gets Left Behind Again
Consider the timing. Canada is running the largest deficit in its history. Our national debt exceeds $1.2 trillion. Interest payments alone cost taxpayers over $54 billion annually, more than we spend on healthcare transfers to provinces. Inflation pressures households. Small businesses struggle. Housing is out of reach for many. Our currency weakens against the US dollar. And in the midst of this financial storm, the government locks taxpayers into a megaproject that serves two provinces.
Look west, and you see provinces grappling with underfunded infrastructure, crumbling roads, and stretched-to-capacity hospitals. Look east, and you find regions like Newfoundland and Labrador facing declining populations and economic stagnation. Yet, the dollars continue to flow into the Quebec-Ontario corridor, propping up the Liberal voter base. The pattern is old but no less infuriating.
Quebec Blocks Pipelines, But Gets Taxpayer-Funded Trains?
Adding insult to injury, Quebec has repeatedly blocked pipelines that would have allowed Alberta’s oil and gas to flow eastward, strengthening energy independence and creating jobs nationwide. Yet, taxpayers from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia are now expected to fund an electric rail line to boost Quebec’s commuter convenience. The double standard is glaring. Western energy? Too divisive, too dirty. High-speed trains in Quebec? Visionary, green progress.
What Does This Project Actually Accomplish?
Let’s talk trade realities. Canada is facing an economic battle with the United States. Protectionist policies under both Biden and Trump threaten Canadian exports. American companies see Canada as an uncompetitive environment weighed down by taxes and regulations. Our reliance on foreign capital grows, and Canadian businesses are suffocating under red tape. In this context, a prestige rail project will not improve our competitive standing. It will not lower energy costs. It will not strengthen supply chains. It will not bring back manufacturing jobs. It is a vanity project designed to buy votes.
Canada Needs Real Infrastructure Investments
We must not be naive about this government’s fiscal legacy. Trudeau’s spending spree was initially justified by the pandemic, but the taps never turned off. Deficits became permanent. Public sector employment soared, but the private sector paid the price. Small businesses closed, families juggled record-high mortgages, and people turned to food banks in numbers not seen in generations. This is the backdrop against which $3.9 billion is now earmarked for trains that will not benefit most Canadians.
Infrastructure Must Serve the Nation, Not Just Ontario and Quebec
History teaches that infrastructure can stimulate economies, but only when the investments align with broad national priorities. The Trans-Canada Highway united the country. The St. Lawrence Seaway opened markets. This rail project is not comparable. It binds Toronto and Montreal more closely but leaves the rest of Canada watching from the sidelines.
We need leadership that prioritizes projects with national reach—energy corridors, northern development, agricultural infrastructure, trade routes to the US and Asia. Instead, we are shackled to a megaproject driven by electoral math, not economic necessity.
Is It Time to Leave Canada?
Some Canadians quietly ask a question that is becoming louder: How much more of this can we take? At what point do we conclude that this government is not merely incompetent but actively hostile to the country’s future? As we watch our tax dollars vanish into another concrete ribbon through central Canada, some may begin to wonder if it is time to look south. Mr. Trump, will there be an express lane for Canadians seeking economic refuge from a government intent on national decline?
This is not a call to abandon Canada. It is a call to reclaim it. It is a demand for fiscal prudence, national unity, and leadership that values every province equally. If Ottawa will not hear us, we will speak louder. And if they still refuse to listen, we will remember when the ballots return.