Jeremy Ashley
Friday, April 20, 2007
The Belleville Intelligencer
A court order has been served to clear the rail tracks at Deseronto, but police monitoring the blockade appear unsure about who will carry out the order.
Shortly after 1:30 p.m., officials representing Canadian Pacific Railway served a court injunction on protesters blockading railway lines near Deseronto, The Intelligencer has learned.
“We obtained that injunction from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice that has been served on the protesters requiring them to forthwith dismantle this blockade,” said CN spokesman Mark Hallman from his Toronto office, Friday.
“We hope to get our freight service resumed as soon as possible,” he added.
About 50 trains travel the line per day, Hallman said — almost evenly split between freight trains and Via Rail passenger trains use the route per day.
“I do not want to speculate about anything further,” he said, when asked whether it would be the responsibility of the Ontario Provincial Police or CN police to remove any protesters unwilling to vacate the area.
“Clearly this is a court order, it has been served and requires the protesters to vacate the blockade immediately.”
Napanee OPP spokeswoman Const. Jackie Perry, said she believed it is the responsibility of CN police to have the tracks cleared.