Originally Posted by greatwhitenorth
It sure reinforced where the money was for VIA, and it wasn't passenger travel.
Actually, not true.
Via doesn't have any other mandate but to provide passenger rail services. Via does not run a freight business on the side.
Furthermore, Via does not have any tracks of its own. It leases track from CNR and, as things are, yes, freight trains do get priority over pax trains, hence the potentially lengthy delays as once the train is behind sked, it's going to be really behind sked.