CN Police Overstep Authority?

Canadian National Railway’s private police force is facing allegations that some of its officers acted improperly or illegally in laying charges against a former employee. There appears to be a complete lack of accountability for the actions of CN police officers, due to historical powers granted by the federal government to CN and CP. See this Law Times article.

The law has evolved in almost every aspect of our lives during the past 100 years, except when it comes to our national railways which continue to retain powers and authorities granted to them over a century ago. Although many of these powers and authorities may have made sense over a century ago, they certainly do not today, as municipalities, provincial governments, community groups and individual citizens in Canada battle CN and CP on a daily basis over a whole variety of matters including railway noise, vibration, pollution, proximity of construction of new railway facilities, and compensation for damages.

~ by railroaded on August 24, 2011.