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#Quebec’s incoming Parti Québécois government says it will fight Alto, North America’s first true high-speed rail line. Yes, the province with the most to gain from the all-electric train wants to stop this project dead in its tracks. What's behind their stance? 🧵

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Alto would be North America's first LGV: a dedicated high-speed line, rather than trains contending with freight traffic on CN + CP tracks. Trains going 300 km/h, up to 72 a day, linking Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City. Something to be proud of.

Alto is popular: roughly two-thirds of Canadians support it, including 58% of Conservative voters and 65% of Quebecers. (More than support the PQ.) It would take a big bite out of the up to 94 short-haul flights a day in the Corridor, significantly reducing emissions.

So why is the PQ against it? Because it comes from #Ottawa. PSPP wants the federal billions sent to Quebec with no strings attached. And with sovereignty stuck around 30%, they need to pick a fight to stir up support for a referendum to break up confederation.

Something that’s good for people, their wallets, their communities’ economies, and the planet, something that other countries have and Canada needs, gets turned into a cynical weapon. The US is funding and amplifying this for sure.

Le PQ craint avec le TGV que des idées provenant des grandes villes cosmopolites comme Toronto contaminent nos esprits tournées vers la préservation de la langue française et des valeurs catholiques en Amérique du Nord 😪