Well - that's nice, but it was announced a year ago - has anything actually happened? I'd have expected a more recent reference if it had. I'm uncertain if the ridership would make the effort/expense worthwhile.
It was before VIA, but the Annapolis Valley line was allowed to die. That would have provided an amazing NEC, Downeaster, Annapolis Valley, Ocean, Adirondack loop. I did a similar trip starting from Boston in 2007, cycling the Annapolis Valley and from Quebec City to Sorel and then south through VT and NH back to Boston. I think it can be done with some sort of shuttle/rental car from Yarmouth to Halifax - the Annapolis Valley is often pretty and has some interesting back roads and side trips so I'd recommend the car option.
This is Cape Split - on the Fundy coast near Wolfville/Kentville. I've hiked it some half-dozen times and once camped on the point overnight. There are a few side trails to get down to the "beach", but you need to be careful as the tide can come in faster here than a man can run, so you don't want to get caught exposed. It's a great day hike - highly recommended. It's a blast exiting the trees and suddenly finding yourself on a high meadow with ~320* ocean/bay surrounding you and squawking gulls circling overhead.
I'm hoping to do the Jonquiere run over the next year - I just got a $50 credit from VIA based on my unhappiness with several issues on my Montreal-Toronto run three weeks ago, but my map instinct told me that it has much better scenery than Senneterre - not to mention what looks to be a much more interesting destination - region. Not that I don't like narrow gauge ;-) Also, I gather there's a Quebec City bus option, giving an exclamation point on top of the Adirondack stalk.
I've found another VIA gripe - I hadn't realized that the Jonquiere was an alternate day operation, and their site doesn't have a schedule but forces you to pretend you want a ticket, but then stops working. I did what they suggested to change the date, but still got the error. Why do they need such complexity for a once a day train that only runs alternate days in each direction? You can have the ticket purchase system, but how about a simple graphic schedule to see what you have available?