That's some good handwriting for a 5-year-old. Don't you just love it when parents use their children for politics?

Not sure what your point is Luke. The issue is about children's health. If these parents were laying their kids across the tracks you might have a point. Of course, you might be a shill for the Liberal party who thinks diesel fumes will help strengthen the kids' immune systems.

I'm a strong supporter for electric trains in this corridor. I don't support the use of children in this manner.

And this is the first I have heard that there is anything Liberal (or Conservative or NDP) about diesel fumes.

The provincial government has made no such endorsement towards diesel, other than endorsing the advancement of rail transport. Which is, in any circumstances, better for your precious child's health than the cars it will replace.

I think a lot of the kids wanted to be there. I know my daughter (6) was insistent that we go and I took a day off work to take her. We live near the tracks and she cares about the issue and feels very passionately about it.

I think it is great that so many parents care about their childrens health and are standing up and doing something about it. We shouldn't assume that the kids are puppets and are being used. These are all intelligent and articulate kids.

Why are we discrediting a 500 person march when children finally have a chance to defend their own rights from having their health be put into jeopardy? Let's be astounded by the extraordinary turnout by caregivers and children to say 'NO' to air, vibration and noise pollution from 400+ diesel trains daily through parks, schools, nursing homes- every child and parent should have a right to defend their quality of health and life.

And yes- the provincial government under Dalton McGuinty is forcing diesel trains through to protect a contract they made with SNC-Lavalin in 1999. You may be interested to know that Calgary has electric trains powered by wind turbines, and SNC-Lavalin has built an electric train for the Vancouver Olympics delivered ahead of schedule- so there is no reason SNC-Lavalin cannot do the same for the Air Rail Link and Georgetown Corridor for Toronto.

Dear Luke,

I am sorry that you are so cynical. No one is claiming that those children made that sign. They are just sitting by it for a photo op. There were many signs there, some made by children and some made by adults. Nor are these children being used for politics. No one at that parade has any political aspirations. It was parents advocating for their childrens' health because if the plan to run diesel trains goes ahead as planned, their health will be seriously and irreversibly damaged.

I'm always amazed at how passionate and well informed many young children are about the environment. My cousin has been making his own biodiesel since he was 8 and is now taking next steps to explore more long term sustainable energy solutions.

He can lecture you about wasteful consumption and the need for renewable energy sources better than most adults can.

It wouldn't surprise me in the least if a majority of these young protesters asked their parents to take them rather than their parents taking them there. And even if their parents did take them, I don't see a problem with teaching your children that it's alright to stand-up for the things you believe in.

To those who have 'bought' the governments argument that even diesel trains are better than cars, here's the facts: The air rail link will have an average of 12 passengers per diesel-powered railcar, and emit 120 cars worth of nitrous oxides and particulates. GHG's will be about a wash. Each GO Train will equal the nitrous oxides and particulates of cars, but only when full. GHG's will be better, but again, only when full. GO trains run an average of 20-30% full, so they will pollute more than cars. We need more public transit, yes, but we don't need the pollution, so it must be electric.

"the provincial government under Dalton McGuinty is forcing diesel trains through to protect a contract they made with SNC-Lavalin in 1999"

Dalton McGuinty was not even premier in 1999. Think before you point fingers, my friend.

The value of removing cars from the road is a lot more than the emissions of each car.

When the roads are clogged by commuters, that means that diesel trucks who share the road will be spending more time idling, polluting the air your child breathes. Reducing gridlock by means of rail will be of great benefit to your child's health, in many many ways.

You are not doing any benefits to your family's health to ignore this.

None of these children are being used. They live near the tracks and don't want to have 10 times the number of diesel trains running. Who would want that? Name one sick individual who would actually WANT that? And call people NIMBY if you like too, because ALL PEOPLE ARE NIMBYs. This is human nature and why would you want it in "your back yard". If it's electric, then we who live nearer the tracks will live with it. Otherwise, not a chance. This City must have electric trains from now on. Period.

And in another part of the city, residents are fuming that their diesel buses are being replaced with electric LRT.

And in 1996, citizens were proclaiming the end of the world was coming with the introduction of the Toonie. Our pockets will all break under the added weight! They said.

Luke,

I think you've lost sight of what the real issue is here. You said yourself in one of your earlier posts, "I'm a strong supporter for electric trains in this corridor". Enough said. Work together to get the politicians to see that they must do that NOW!

Luke: Methinks you doth protest too much! I am not sure where you live in the City but if you live near the Corridor, breathing the diesel fumes from over 450 trains per day vs. 50 - 60 trains per day is a huge difference. It's not just the smell, smog and disruption. It's also the noise, before and after they start running -- ask the Junction residents who have already had the pile driving inflicted upon them. If you are a home owner instead of a renter, you are doubly cursed -- not only does your house lose its value but your foundation will be jeopardized, your walls will crack and depending on your proximity, your windows could crack or break due to the force being used to build the infrastructure. Nobody is disputing that better public transit is needed in the City and to the suburbs. What is being protested is the use of antiquated 55 year old diesel trains already purchased and which will be retrofitted with sub-par engines. If the EPA says that Tier 4 diesel is the acceptable level for trains by 2014, why are the trains that will be running only be at Tier 2 or 3?

As for your comment about McGuinty not having been in power in 1999, the ARL project was conceived originally by the Federal government, more specifically by David Collenette who was Minister of Transportation at the time. He also knew that since GO Transit wanted to upgrade their services and needed funding to do so, he would 'suggest' to GO that they do the Air Rail Link project in conjunction with the upgrade thereby receiving their funding while building something as a P3 project, partnering with a private firm. These are two projects that have been tied together with a neat tidy bow. We have been attempting to untie that bow. Nobody is blaming McGuinty for conceptualizing the project -- we blame him for going along with it and not stopping it when he could have over 4 years ago. You cannot 'suck and blow' and say you are working towards environmental solutions while installing more diesel trains through a highly populated corridor. You cannot say you believe in the health and welfare of children who are vulnerable and then inflict this on them while they walk to school. We know that the particulate matter in diesel will cause many illnesses including respiratory disease, heart disease and cancer. Are you willing to risk your life and live in this corridor? We are not! And we will not risk our children's lives nor the lives of at risk people who cannot speak for themselves.

HEY LUKE. You try to sound all intellectual but you've got the brain of a 2 year old. Having 400 diesel trains a day going through downtown neighborhoods, past schools, parks, community centers, old age homes, would create more pollution then the 401 at rush hour all day, diesel trains aren't efficient and so a diesel train makes as much pollution as the equivalent number of cars to transport the same number of people in that train. Would you like to live beside the 401? You're probably that guy who drives in from the burbs, by himself in his SUV with the a/c on and the windows open and doesn't want to sit in traffic because he's so important so he wants everyone to take the diesel train so he can drive 150km/h into the city. Enough with the pro-diesel you goof. And bringing children to an environmental event?? What's wrong with that? Children actually do care about the environment and their future and they have to because people like you obviously don't care about their future. THANKS LUKE on behalf of all Toronto children

I'm all for public transit. I had car culture and anyway of eradicating a small part of it is OK in my books. That being said, I'm all for electric too.

One thing that hasn't been addressed is the number of trains. Someone's numbers are either skewed or it's a case of wishful thinking or scare tactics on someone's part.

It's a physical impossibility to orchestrate that many trips per day. It takes 10 minutes for the GO train to reach as far as Bloor Street from Union. Longer for VIA Rail. These trains are literally going to be crashing into each other if they allow 450 trips (not trains) to run past my neighbourhood.

Any comment on that?

No comment, sir.

www.cleantrain.ca

check it out for yourself. And because they're diesel they can't stop along the way because it takes to long to slow down and speed up so it's not much of a progressive public transit system. And they're buying refirbished trains so that they will be way out of date in terms of pollution and noise etc. going past lots of neighbourhoods with kids and schools. The Toronto Board of Health is opposing the plan but the city (aka metrolinx)is still going through with it

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