Nearly two-thirds support USA state or federal funding for High Speed Rail

NEW YORK, N.Y. - February 24, 2011 - President Obama announced in April 2009, and reconfirmed during his recent State of the Union address, his commitment to develop high-speed intercity passenger rail across the United States.

High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport between major cities that operates at substantially faster speeds than current intercity passenger trains in the U.S. It is designed to provide fast, reliable, and convenient service, operates using electric power and often includes onboard amenities such as food and beverage service and Wi-fi access.

The Harris Poll conducted an online survey among 2,566 adults between January 17 and 24, 2011 to gauge awareness, intention to use and position on funding for high-speed rail. At the time of the survey, there were ten proposed high-speed rail corridors across the United Statesª. To-date, projects in California and Florida have been the most visible.

Full poll story at:
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/NewsRoom/HarrisPolls/tabid/447/mid/1508/articleId/700/ctl/ReadCustom%20Default/Default.aspx

Career Development Consultants

In searching for types of consultants I got a lengthy list – from management, media, and performance to lactation, magic, and theatre. While not a focus for this blog, I couldn’t help but look up the role of a magic consultant – someone who lends his/her expertise to film, television, and theatre around all aspects relating to magic and illusions. Sounds very cool!

Not surprisingly, Career Development Consultant wasn’t in the list. However, a Google search resulted in over 2 million hits, but the first link redirected to jobs for business consultants and the next several were specific to supporting individuals with disabilities. It seems as though the role of Career Development Consultant might be somewhat elusive.

In his book, Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used, noted consultant and author, Peter Block defined a consultant as “a person in a position to have some influence over an individual, group, or an organization but who has no direct power to make changes or implement programs” (1999, p. 2).  Other authors extend this definition to note that consultants must be external to the organization - a contractor, perhaps, hired to do a specific task.

So, a Career Development Consultant might be someone who lends his/her expertise in career development to governments, agencies, educational institutions, and corporations across a wide range of industries. For those career practitioners experiencing career uncertainty, perhaps especially those in British Columbia who are seeing a complete re-design of their working environments, maybe it is time to consider a consulting career.

Here, at Life Strategies, we have been involved with some cool consulting projects – yes, even cooler than what a Magic Consultant might do. Recently, we’ve had the opportunity to

• Design and implement the first career development initiative for a nuclear power plant in the US
• Research the use of career assessments tools and models in Canada
• Moderate the 2009 Pan-Canadian Symposium on Career Development
• Develop a comprehensive set of career development resources for the Manitoba Government

Considering consulting? Join our Look Before You Leap course (another very cool project) coming up in early March. Follow news on the project at www.lookbeforeyouleap.ca

Credentialing and Certification

Credentialing and certification is a timely topic in the career management sector. In BC, with the changes to government funding structure for labour market programs, career service centres are increasingly looking for employees with not only very specific training, but relevant certifications. Although not new concept (i.e., many sectors have required relevant certifications for years), there is some uncertainty when any new certification is launched. What does certification mean? If I took a certificate program in school, am I already certified? Do I need to be certified? What does the certification process look like?

What does certification mean?
Certification, and other similar terms including credential, designation, and qualification, is when an independent body vets your education and experience. You may have to adhere to a specific code of conduct / ethics, as well as commit to engaging in continuous learning to maintain your credential. Certification demonstrates an elevated level of professionalism and competence.

If I took a certificate program in school, am I already certified?
Certification is typically the next step after education. Although you may have a certificate from a college or university, this will most often represent completion of an educational program, not professional certification (i.e., meaning that you’re not “certified”). Certification often requires a mixture of specific training and relevant experience in the field; something that you may work towards in the first few years of employment.

Do I need to be certified?
Some certification is required in order to be employed, while other is optional. To find out, visit industry websites, talk to people already working in the field, and/or search the NOC listings at www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/noc/english/noc/2006/welcome.aspx

What does the certification process look like?
Each procedure is different but will typically require a formal application, specific training, outline of competencies, references, and a fee. Before you apply, take the time to review the application form or documents outlining the requirements and the process so that you know you’re submitting the right information. If you’re not sure about the process, just ask the association responsible for the certification – they may have a quick answer or refer you to an information session or tutorial.

In summary, navigating the certification process will leave career practitioners not only better equipped to serve their clients but will also give them an inside look at professional certification, preparing them to support clients through their own certification.

Quebec Seeks High Speed Rail Funding

A Canadian transport official said he plans to discuss plans for a high-speed rail linking Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto when he travels to Paris in the coming weeks. READ ARTICLE

Vice President Biden Announces Six Year Plan to Build National High-Speed Rail Network

Vice President Biden's announcement of a plan for USA high speed rail investment. Read the announcement WATCH VIDEO

High Speed Rail Link One Step Closer

From the Montreal Gazette's Francois Salom an article on how President Obama's recent announcement on high speed rail may affect the Montreal-New York and Montreal-Boston rail routes

Canada-USA High Speed Rail Possibilities – Part 4 -Detroit-Windsor Border

As part of our ongoing series on cross border high speed passenger rail crossing, at the request of several people, we will now look at the Windsor Detroit border.

Most if not all the passenger rail corridors improvements currently envisioned connecting Canada and the USA would result in higher speed passenger rail as opposed to true high speed rail. (over 200kph). In the case of Windsor Detroit there is no current passenger rail between the two cities.

The usual suspects, as in our previous articles, play a part in ensuring restoring passenger rail between the cities remains just a dream. Two known suspects are:

1.The Canadian federal governments continuing refusal to have any plan or legislation for passenger rail in Canada including cross border issues and

2. Canada’s CP railways and to a lesser extent CN have no desire in seeing passenger rail restored at the Windsor/Detroit border.

But unfortunately it’s a much worse situation at this rail border crossing than any other possible one in Canada.

HISTORY

In the early days of rail, rail companies had ferrys that transferred thousands of rail cars and some passenger cars across the Detroit River. With the opening of the tunnel in 1910, Trains would run through the Detroit/Windsor through Southern Ontario across at Niagara Falls to the US side. Trains with the names of “Wolverine”, “Detroiter” and Amtrak’s “Niagara Rainbow” carried passengers on the Canada Southern/Michigan Central Railway on ferries and later through the tunnel.

On January 31, 1979, Amtrak’s last passenger rail train went through the tunnel ending over 100 years of regular passenger rail service between Detroit and Windsor. (See photo above of the last person getting on the train in Windsor.)

Although about dozen high speed rail studies on the Windsor-Quebec City High Speed Rail Corridor have been done, a thorough analysis of the Detroit/Windsor border crossing has yet to be done. Unfortunately the two recent HSR studies on this corridor currently be kept from the public by the mayors along the line and the federal government will not provide us with any additional information.

DETROIT

In Detroit, Mayor Dave Bing has the mountainous task of re-inventing a city whose population has shrunk by 50% over the years and the city is left with a glut of abandoned homes.

From a rail transportation standpoint there are some positive initiatives. Money from President Obama’s high speed rail infrastructure has been obtained for building a new station at Dearborn, refurbishing other stations and track improvements on the line to Chicago. Further funding applications have been sent to the Department of Transportation.

With hopes for a Detroit-Ann Arbour commuter rail line and a new Light Rail line down Woodward Avenue, Detroit is definitely moving forward to meet their future inner and intercity passenger rail needs.

Recently the State of Michigan governors have supported the boondoggle 2nd bridge over the Detroit River. More on that issue later in this article.

VIA RAIL

The good news is VIA Rail has publicly stated that they want to run passenger rail through the rail tunnel. Unfortunately VIA’s present line does not connect with the tunnel and CP Rail, whose busy main line uses the tunnel and as mentioned previously CP has no interest in any passenger rail service going through it .

VIA’s recent decision to build their new station near the existing one is very clear evidence that VIA will not be be offering cross border service in the foreseeable future.

COMMUNITY BASED RAIL STRATEGIC STUDY 2008

For reasons known only to Transport Canada and City of Windsor bureaucrats, they hired McCormick Rankin consultants, primarily known as road engineering company, to do a strategic study on rail in Windsor. It is not the focus of this article to dwell on the shortcomings of this flawed study. As far as the 63 page study relates to high speed rail, it does not even discuss it

CITY OF WINDSOR

Looking Back- Moving Forward - Summary Report Transportation 2007 City of Windsor by Dillon Consulting also fails to mention anything about high speed rail in it.

It is unclear why the City of Windsor has been so quiet on embracing and promoting the idea of high speed rail. Other cities along the purposed route have actively pursued the idea.

The mayors along the line have a recently completed study by SNCF (the France railway company) on the Windsor to Quebec City high speed rail corridor but the mayors refuse to release it

THE EXISTING RAIL TUNNELS

If there was any hope to have passenger rail service service again across this border point, the use of the existing tunnels, or a new one would need to be addressed by the federal government and stakeholders.

The issue of the existing double rail tunnel not being suitable to accept higher CP rail cars is well known. The awful idea to turn the tunnels into a route for trucks has thankfully been abandoned.

CONTINENTAL RAIL GATEWAY

On June 17th, Continental Rail Gateway (CP is one of 3 companies that make up the Gateway) announced plans to build a new larger single tunnel to handle taller railcars. No mention in their press release or on their website give any indication they will include passenger rail in their plans.

The NEW BRIDGE DEBACLE

The idea to build a new 2nd Detroit River International Crossing
Bridge with the federal government of Canada pitching in to the tune of $500 million has been controversial in Windsor and in Michigan. The idea of the new bridge was to handle the perceived future increase in traffic across the border in the future.

Now comes a scathing report by Econometric Research (comprised of McMcaster University professors emeritus and present)outlining the facts that the data in the study by Wilbur Smith Associates – Comprehensive Revenue and Toll Review Study- Windsor Gateway Project, which justified the need for the bridge, was poorly designed and the results in the report could not be used to justify the need for the bridge. I strongly encourage people to read this critical evaluation of the Wilbur Smith Study.

It is clear that the Minister of Transport John Baird, and Transport Canada need to reassess giving $500 million of taxpayers money to a project that is based on weak methodology resulting in an inaccurate report. It is doubtful that anyone at Transport Canada including the Minister himself or lower levels of government have the ability to admit they were wrong in approving the money.


In conclusion the chance of a passenger rail crossing at the Windsor/Detroit border are very slim given the present municipal and federal governments.

Workplace Conflict

Conflict can be distressing in the workplace. A quick Google search for “workplace conflict 2011” revealed almost 59 million hits, including recent research from the UK, courses in Canada and Australia, blogs, headlines about workplace violence, and articles targeted to diverse industries and organizational structures. Workplace conflict is a hot topic!

In many cases the conflict is amongst co-workers or between employees and their managers and someone from the Human Resource department may be called in to intervene. Left to simmer too long, minor workplace conflicts can boil over, resulting in toxic workplaces, bullying, mobbing, or, in extreme cases, a violent counter-attack as in the Calgary story from just last month, where an employee, frustrated over a disagreement about expenses, rammed a semi-trailer into his employer’s truck. Witnesses reported, “He was distraught . . . he could have done anything!”

In other cases, however, conflict initiates with dissatisfied customers or disempowered clients. Regardless of the issue or who the players may be, de-escalating conflict is an important skill to have. We’ve recently uploaded 10 Tips for De-Escalating Conflict and it’s a key component of our customized workshop for case managers on “Dealing With Challenging Clients.” Tips focus primarily on managing yourself – the only person in the conflict that you really have any control over!

Join us online for our new online certificate program for Case Managers, beginning February 16th!

Groupe TRAQ - 15e Colloque ferroviaire

C’est avec plaisir que le Groupe TRAQ vous convie à son 15e Colloque ferroviaire qui se tiendra les mercredi 23 et jeudi 24 mars 2011, à l’Hôtel PLAZA Québec, sous la présidence d’honneur d’un représentant du Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique.

Jeudi 24 mars 2011,14h 45, Le Tràin à Grande Vitese au Canada par M.Paul Langan.

Leadership Lessons

The most recent edition of the Life Strategies News highlighted 10 Leadership Lessons for Transformational Times. Each of the lessons was adapted from our recent workbook of the same name and outlines such things as Ignite Employee Engagement, Make Time for Transformation, Embrace Diversity, and Show Appreciation.

During transformational times, organizations are likely to be shifting priorities, adjusting goals, and struggling to be responsive. The tendency, during these periods of uncertainty, might be for leaders to communicate less. After all, what can be said about a vision for the future when the future is uncertain? It is in these times, however, that open communication is most important.

Through a study conducted in 2004, the Hay Group found that “Trust and confidence in top leadership was the single most reliable predictor of employee satisfaction in an organization" (Source: www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcon.html). The report went on to note that effective communication regarding the company’s vision, and how each employee contributes to organizational success, are key components of earning the trust of employees. Going silent or waiting until there is something to announce should be avoided at all costs. Great leaders don’t shy away from difficult conversations; instead they communicate organizational challenges and what they feel the future might be.

John Kenneth Galbraith once said, “All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership.”

It could be said that British Columbia’s career development sector (particularly the portion of the sector offering services via government funded programs) is currently going through a “major anxiety.” Now more than ever, organizational leaders must instil trust in their workforce by communicating plans, exploring other opportunities, and preparing employees for life beyond business transformation.