August 12, 2009, 1 e-mail

P. G. wrote:

I've been a long-term lurker on this listserv. I'm a freelance writer/editor--there seems to be a few around here--who lives on Northern Place.

Just wanted to share a bit of info. I wrote a letter yesterday to our MPP Tony Ruprecht about the Metrolinx update announcing the end of the formal consultation period about the Georgetown South Service Expansion project and the Union-Pearson Rail Link (GSSE/UPRL).

I thought the update was a pretty arrogant document, which offered a few small concessions (a new Strachan bridge design,extending the rail path, etc) while essentially dooming upfront electrification by dumping the issue into a long-term study looking at electrification of the GO system as a whole--a nice idea that's decades off. I also had a few other beefs with the update.

Anyway, of all things, Ruprecht called me today to thank me for the letter. He suggested I send it to the premier and the minister, which I will.

I'm not a big Ruprecht fan, but I've never before had a politician call me in response to a letter. I think he's feeling the heat about this issue but doesn't have much pull with the decision-makers and so needs to show the premier and the minister that there is genuine concern out there. I think it will take much political pressure to convince Metrolinx to take concerns about diesel trains seriously.