Consul General weighs in on Nova Bus, Amtrak
Jul. 12—PLATTSBURGH — In his recent visit, Tom Clark, Consul General of Canada in New York, also shared his insight into several issues facing the North Country currently.
AMTRAK
In the last few weeks, one of those issues has been Amtrak's decision to temporarily suspend its Adirondack Line from Albany to Montreal.
The action to do so had followed the reported imposition of a 10 mph speed limit by CN Rail on its trackage north of the border anytime the external temperature exceeds 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
The rail line, which travels from New York City to Montreal, was initially suspended at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020, when severe restrictions were put on border crossings with Canada.
The line finally returned in April of this year after a three-year pause.
Clark said things like this unfortunately happen when two private companies are working together, such as the case with Amtrak and CN Rail.
"They have, obviously, commercial disputes with one another. Which goes to questions of 'Did you pay your bills? Did you not pay your bills? Did you put the paperwork in on time?' There's two sides of the story, but ultimately, it is a private story between two private companies."
"The one thing you don't want to do is burn down towns and villages ... (but) I've got to leave it up to them to figure it out. We can't really have anything to say about it."
As far as what's next for the Adirondack line, Clark isn't sure, but he said it's his understanding it'll return in a couple months.
"It'll be good again by September, I understand, when the temperatures go back down again."
NOVA BUS
In discussing the closure of Nova Bus, one of Plattsburgh's leading employers in the region since 2009, Clark said, "We didn't have any more insight than anybody here did ... nobody asked us for our views on it."
"At the end of the day, ... as a government, we've got no role in this," he said.
"There's no jurisdictional issue ...in the end, it's one of those ugly commercial decisions that companies make."
On a positive note, Clark said he has heard there's "a lot of interest" being expressed by other companies in the Nova Bus site for the future.
"That's good news," he said.
"But yeah, it hurts us when something like that happens, because we feel it to the same extent that anytime, you know, something comes along to disrupt the relationship, it's not good."
ROXHAM ROAD
In regard to Roxham Road, the unofficial border crossing in Champlain, Clark said the number of people crossing there is nowhere near what it was six months ago.
"Not even in the same universe anymore," he said.
Once they redid the Canada — United States Safe Third Country Agreement, and dramatically and suddenly shut Roxham Road, the number of people trying to cross dropped significantly, he said.
"I was ... again on the border talking to both sides today and asked them this very question. Nobody goes to Roxham Road anymore, according to both sides," he said.
"There's no advantage to going to Roxham Road anymore."
Clark explained that there is no longer a "friendly reception" waiting for them when they cross Roxham Road anymore, which was the previous advantage.
"It's totally 'back you go,'" he said.
"What's happened now is that any of the loopholes that they used before to get across the border are all gone. I mean, you can show up at a border crossing just with your suitcase and walking across in hopes that you'll get a shot at it, but it's not easy."
He admitted that he was curious if the closure of Roxham Road was going to increase numbers at regular crossings into Canada.
But, as it turns out, it didn't.
"Crossings are way, way down in terms of (unofficial) crossings into Canada," he said.
"With the provisions that are in that agreement ... I think word is now getting out that, you know, this is not a good operation."
Email: cnewton@pressrepublican.com
Twitter: CarlySNewton
