[milomilo]

Providing only daily rail service is about as good as doing nothing (actually, it's worse), the market for that service will be tiny. It will be too inconvenient for most people, unreliable, slower than a bus and expensive to run so will need subsidy to keep ticket prices low. The only people served would be the less well off, and they would be better served by buses, which would be faster, more frequent and more reliable. If it wasn't for the Canadian's tourist customers, we likely wouldn't run the northern route either.

Providing a super crappy rail service to western cities isn't going to solve western alienation, all it will do is worsen VIA's financial situation. If there is to be spending by VIA in the west, the only place that makes sense is Calgary - Edmonton, then build out from there. But that could, and perhaps should, be done by Alberta, if the people gave a crap about it, which they don't.