Weeeelll, thanks for the feedback folks - I was logging on to say that ... I have now found that Canadian travel is expensive and the work-around routes are also expensive!!!
The train with Via is four days and three nights in (effectively) a 5 Star hotel and that would be nice to do one day! The USA transit gives other problems as my travelling companion needs a specific tourist Visa for the USA and that is another USD131 to add into the counterbalance. Not to mention booking an appointment with them at £1.50 a minute phone call to listen to automated information that you do not need to know. They even have the cheek to call their menu driven information delivery as 'Operator Assisted'
On current looks and quotations, this trip is being pencilled in for June 2009, to give more time for research and saving of cash. Of course, by that time, the cost of fuel will have jacked prices higher and there will be fewer rotations as they cut back on capacity.
