The petition raises the issue of rail safety and the serious damage to the environment that derailments can cause, citing as an example the Lac–Mégantic accident.
The petition describes current brake systems used on trains in Canada and raises a concern that they may be the lead cause of train accidents. The petition states that air brakes’ failure ultimately led to the Lac–Mégantic derailment accident. The petition also questions the maintenance practices for railcars, as trains are assembled using railcars varying in age and design because they come from different companies.
The petition asks what actions the industry or Transport Canada has taken to improve the safety of train brakes. It also asks who is responsible for railcar safety and how safety is enforced.