Maybe they aren't reading their own stuff:
CN is Proud to Honour and Support Veterans in Canada and the United States
My father was an Engine Room Articifer's Apprentice in the RCN during the war. And a CNR / VIA Rail locomotive engineer from 1946 to 1991.
His father was wounded at Pachendale with the Canadian Army, and was also a CNR locomotive engineer.
From everything I saw and heard, CNR/VIA Rail treated their war veterans well. I also got the impression that applications from veterans were treated favourably.
Until you gain enough seniority, you will be on the "Spareboard". Dad was "set up" by the time he met my mom, but he told me about it.
Spareboard employees will be required to work subject to a call for duty at different times. May be subject to calling windows or not.
On the spareboard, the only thing you know for sure is when your vacation starts and ends.
Also, when the crew puts a train on the ground, there is an investigation into how many hours / days of rest they had.
CNR / VIA can control and calculate that. If you plan on keeping your part-time job, better to include that on your CNR application.
This was suggested up-thread:
I guess unfortunately it would have been a better idea not to tell them that you were in the military, perhaps if you apply in the future it might be better to leave it out of your resume.
I would not recommend that.