Political Prejudice Is Neither News Nor Informed Opinion

But when it comes to proposing solutions, they keep beating the same long-deceased horse. Restoring the outfit to Crown corporation status would solve everything, says the NDP. Every time B.C. Ferries pops up in the news after some maritime disaster, hair-raising accident, labour disruption or fare increase, the New Democrats take their tired old Crown corporation solution out for a sail. But here's the thing. That solution won't work. It would make things worse. And the NDP is starting to look absurd by advocating it as the answer for every single issue that confronts the ferry system. Unfortunately, they're trapped into that response. The current political landscape seems to leave that lame position as their only recourse. The party's constitution basically bars supporting any government initiative with the word "private" in it, even though B.C. Ferries isn't really privatized. The latest example arises from the MV Quinsam's abrupt early departure from Nanaimo Harbour last week. Sailing ahead of schedule isn't always a bad thing, but the Quinsam's keenness involved bolting while a Gabriola man was still driving off the dock and onto the deck of the ship. He jumped out in the nick of time, his truck plunged into the harbour and B.C. Ferries bounded back into the headlines. The NDP's response? "This is just another example of why the privatization of B.C. Ferries is a failed experiment," said critic Gary Coons. His chain of logic goes like this: A similar accident happened on a similar ship on the same route in 2002. The Transportation Safety Board rather vaguely laid the blame on a malfunctioning drive system, which apparently has a mind of its own and occasionally changes direction. The board recommended a warning system on the bridge to tell when the drive units change direction. But nothing was done. Therefore, privatization is a failed experiment. http://tinyurl.com/2jx3h7

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