Randall Denley: This “nation-building” megaproject would be a sound idea if the nation began at Quebec City and ended at Toronto.

You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

Wow, are we Ottawans lucky or what? Ours will be one of the first two cities to reap the apparently enormous benefits of the federal government’s new high-speed rail project. For once, we’re ahead of Toronto.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

The Ottawa to Montreal line will be the first leg of a project that will eventually link Toronto to Quebec City. Ottawans still suffering the effects of our own electric rail service might not want to rejoice prematurely, but if everything goes according to plan, they will eventually be able to get to Montreal in one hour instead of two.

Not to spoil the excitement of something new that goes fast, but that doesn’t seem like a life-changing improvement, certainly not for the........

© Ottawa Citizen