TV News LIES

Saturday, Apr 05th

Last update07:59:02 AM GMT

You are here News Environment Quebec's Lac-Mégantic oil train disaster not just tragedy, but corporate crime

Quebec's Lac-Mégantic oil train disaster not just tragedy, but corporate crime

E-mail Print PDF

Quebec train tragedyFive days after a train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, the rural town resembles a scene of desolation. Its downtown is a charred sacrifice zone. 50 people are likely dead, making the train's toll one of the worst disasters in recent Canadian history.

In the explosion's aftermath, politicians and media pundits have wagged their finger about the indecency of "politicising" the event, of grappling with deeper explanations. We can mourn, but not scrutinise. In April, prime minister Stephen Harper even coined an awkward expression – "committing sociology" – to deride the search for root causes about horrifying events, in the wake of an unrelated, alleged bombing attempt.

But to simply call the Lac-Mégantic explosion a "tragedy" and to stop there, is to make it seem like an accident that occurred solely because of human error or technical oversight. It risks missing how we might assign broader culpability. And we owe it to the people who died to understand the reasons why such a disaster occurred, and how it might be prevented in the future.

So here's my bit of unwelcome sociology: the explosion in Lac-Mégantic is not merely a tragedy. It is a corporate crime scene.

More...


Most Recent Related Stories...


Jury orders Chevron to pay more than $744m for destroying Louisiana wetlands

Chevron finedChevron has been ordered to pay more than $744m in damages for destroying parts of south-east...

Trump officials to cut Planned Parenthood family planning funds

gTrump cuts PP fundin The reproductive health provider Planned Parenthood said the Trump administration would cut federal family planning funding...

Severe storms and tornadoes hit US south and midwest, killing at least seven

Indiana warehouse Violent storms and tornadoes have torn across the US south and midwest, killing at least seven...

Why Was the Earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand So Devastating?

7.7 earthquakeOn March 28, at around midday local time, tens of millions of people in Southeast Asia...
 
America's # 1 Enemy
Tee Shirt
& Help Support TvNewsLIES.org!
TVNL Tee Shirt
 
TVNL TOTE BAG
Conserve our Planet
& Help Support TvNewsLIES.org!
 
Get your 9/11 & Media
Deception Dollars
& Help Support TvNewsLIES.org!
 
The Loaded Deck
The First & the Best!
The Media & Bush Admin Exposed!