The Globe and Mail ROB Magazine Cynthia Garneau has had a bumpy ride since taking over VIA Rail, but she is still chugging toward her ultimate goal – growth Published February 24, 2021 Bookmark Please log in to listen to this story. Also available in French and Mandarin. Log In Create Free Account Getting audio file ... This translation has been automatically generated and has not been verified for accuracy. Full Disclaimer Alexa Mazzarello/The Globe and Mail It seems Cynthia Garneau has always thrived on unlikely challenges. On her way to becoming a special education teacher, she found herself drawn to law. As a newly minted member of the Quebec bar, she joined Bombardier, negotiating sourcing contracts and selling business jets. That led her to the Mirabel office of Texas-based Bell Helicopter and, after eight years, to the position of president at Bell Helicopter Textron Canada. When Bell planned to shift production from Mirabel to a new plant in Louisiana, Garneau used her jet-fuelled negotiating skills to pull the federal and provincial governments to her cause. Six weeks later, Bell announced it would move full production of its 505 helicopter to Mirabel. After such high-flying achievements in aerospace, what could be more unlikely than landing in the earthbound struggles of passenger rail in a country that puts cargo first? And what could be more challenging than transforming money-losing VIA Rail