Federal NDP Transport Critic and MP for Skeena Bulkley Valley, Taylor Bachrach was bringing attention to Canada’s out outdated and inefficient passenger train infrastructure last week as he rode the train home for Christmas from Ottawa to Smithers, B.C.

The Nation of Canada, especially communities in Northwest, B.C., were built by the railroad and still have a deep connection to that history. However, after more than a century, the rail infrastructure in this country is the worst within the G7, the only G7 country to not have some form of high-speed rail transport.

Increasing freight train schedules and the North America car culture has made it virtually impossible for passed governments to invest in efficient, reliable passenger trail service in Canada, and rural communities are getting the short end of the stick.

Before the house rose for Christmas break, Bachrach introduced and new private members bull, Bill C-371, the Rail Passenger Priority Act which would give passenger trains priority when they share the tracks with freight, especially the further west you get from Ottawa.

VIA Rail owns only three percent of railway tracks in Canada. The remainder are owned by private railway companies, with 48.8 percent owned by CN Rail and 29.1 percent owned by CP Rail. While VIA's on-time performance on tracks it owns is over 90 percent, that drops to 60 percent on tracks VIA doesn't own.

After six days on the rails I joined Bachrach for the final 50 kilometres from Houston to Smithers to find out what Bachrach heard from passengers along the way and what the uphill battle looks like as he tried to gain support for his private members bill in the new year.