A Time and a Place...

Even in the bleak, grim aftermath of an intolerable tragedy that has brought loss of life on an unimaginable scale to a small Quebec community there are some people who must mask their sympathy in tones of shared grief, but layer it with a sturdy political tone of partisanship where empathy alone should prevail.

Quebec's Premier Pauline Marois, will waste no opportunity, no matter how unthinkingly inappropriate, to demonstrate the humanitarian goodwill extended to suffering Quebecers, by the Parti Quebecois, but overlaid with an implied contempt and condemnation of others who fail to share her ideology.

The derailment and explosion of the Montreal Maine & Atlantic Railway train carrying crude oil through Lac Megantic to New Brunswick refineries, leading to the death of one percent of a small traditional town where everyone is somehow related or intimately knows their neighbours, is not a venue for political oneupsmanship. Prime Minister Stephen Harper did not fault anyone when he came by to pay his sincere and unaffected condolences.

And, sadly enough, nor did anyone else, including the man whose company was clearly in charge, but not in charge sufficiently of the explosive cargo and its safe delivery. On her arrival at Lac Megantic Pauline Marois received gratifying applause from the townspeople gathered to welcome her second visit. During which she characterized the overdue visit to the town by parent company Railworld Inc.'s CEO as "deplorable" and "unacceptable.

"We have realized there are serious gaps from the railway company, from not having been there and not communicating with the public.  Even if he can't speak French he should have came there with a guide, to speak to the people", she said indignantly. CEO Ed Burkhardt, despite not being able to speak French, did arrive to make himself available to reporters' queries for clarification, and he stood in the streets of Lac Megantic absorbing abuse even as he said "I understand the extreme anger. We owe an abject apology to the people in this town."

Admittedly, small comfort. He is only one among many other people who will not find much comfort in admitting fault. There is also the engineer who failed to adequately secure the 72-car train and its five engines in view of rather extenuating circumstances; a lengthy train carrying a volatile load, parked on a gradient of no little concern, and leaving the train with the engine running, no one there to ensure that nothing out of the ordinary, unexpected, might occur.

"I looked at him and I didn't say a word or anything because he looked very, very shaken up. He didn't do anything, but his face was pretty descriptive. It said everything", said the hotel employee where Tom Harding of nearby Farnham, Quebec, meant to spend the night, recalling the horrified expression she saw when he understood that the inferno swallowing the town was of his making.

"As for the federal government, already (Prime Minister Stephen) Harper has been met by my minister of health and social services, Rejean Hebert", said Pauline Marois, speaking of the $60 million in immediate aid the province has pledged to the town. "Stephane Bergeron has been in contact with (Industry Minister Christian) Paradis. We have told Ottawa we expect them to participate in the help we are offering in Lac Megantic and with the citizens."

"I hope they will answer the call." She is in charge -- otherwise there would be no helpful response from any other source. As though the prime minister hadn't appeared, hadn't expressed his shock and disbelief, hadn't assured the residents that the federal government was prepared to respond to the disaster in a manner consistent with its responsibilities and with the express desire of every Canadian citizen to respond to Lac Megantic's tragedy.