BC Ferries And BC Liberal Revenge Towards NDP Held Ridings
Written by Grant G
Last Friday on the cutting edge of the ledge radio program on cknw featuring Keith Baldrey, Vaughn Palmer and Bill Good....I don`t believe I have ever heard such a disgusting excuse filled, wafflegabfest in all my life, clearly those three stooges have shown their true colours, their true agenda, they lied, bullshitted and fought with every caller, those stooges not only argued with every caller(BC Ferry story callers) they repeated every BC Liberal spin doctor talking point...It was shameful, disgusting and grounds for formal complaints to the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council(CBSC)....If those three pundits are going to work for the BC Liberal party/BC Government they need to tell listeners who their allegiance is to, and who is paying them..
I`m going to do some paraphrasing here, and point by point I`m going to destroy the lies laid down by Vaughn Palmer, Bill Good and Twitter follower counter Keith Baldrey..
Vaughn Palmer said...Inland ferries receive the same subsidy as coastal ferries, but inland ferries are pulled across by cables or by the current, they burn no fuel and pay for themselves..
No, that`s a lie, every inland ferries is free, there are 30 minute inland ferry crossings, 35 minutes ferry crossings that take car and driver, these ferries burn fuel, the price for those crossings is free, how can free ferry crossings pay for themselves?
Francois Lake-Southbank..52 car capacity, crossing time 20 minutes, price..Free
Shelter Bay-Galena Bay...50 car capacity, crossing time 20 minutes, price..Free.
Kootenay Bay-Balfour..80 car capicity, crossing time 40 minutes, price, free..
These inland/interior of British Columbia motorized ferries are free, how can free ferry rides pay for themselves Vaughn Palmer?
And look at similar NDP riding coastal ferries..
Campbell River-Quadra Island, 68 car capacity, crossing time, 10 minutes..Price..car and driver only, $42 dollars, add $19 dollars if you want a reservation.
Vancouver island to Denman island, car capacity 50, crossing time 10 minutes, price, car and driver only, $42 dollars.
Horseshoe bay to Bowen island, car capacity 85, crossing time 15 minutes, price, car and driver only, $54 dollars
Westview to Texada island, car capacity 49, crossing time 35 minutes, price, car and driver only, $45 dollars...
The cost of those trips are one way only, double the price for a return trip, and each passenger in your vehicle increases the cost by $30 dollars for a round trip..
How is that the same as inland ferries Vaughn Palmer?
_____
Keith Baldrey said, why should people in the interior of the province subsidize ferry travellers on the coast, BC Ferries already receives a $170 million dollar subsidy
Keith Baldrey said, Washington state ferries have on some ferries 1/3 rd the staffing levels of BC Ferries, Transport Canada demands these staffing levels, that`s why you can`t compare Washington State Ferry CEO and upper management wages to BC Ferry CEO and upper management wages..
Keith Baldrey said on Friday past, Everyone he knows, all the businessmen don`t ride on BC Ferries, they take the Heli-jet back n forth..
Keith Baldrey, what does staffing levels have to do with CEO wages, Washington State Ferry CEO makes per year $165,000.00 dollars....BC Ferries has a CEO making $600,000.00 per year and another 6 upper management pulling down over $500,000.00 per year..
Keith Baldrey, are you suggesting people not take BC Ferries and take the heli-jet instead, how does one travel to various cities in the GVRD, or vice-versa, how does one travel on the island, with kids, packages, should all those wealthy common folks take taxis, or a limo?
Keith Baldrey, do we all not pay to maintain highways in BC, up north, desolate highways, in fact Keith, Vaughn, Billy..
Do you know that just one highway, the Sea to Sky highway that cost $800 million to upgrade, do you know that the 24 year maintenance contract for just that one highway is over $2 billion dollars, did you know the maintenance cost of that one highway is over $100 million dollars per year, every year, whether maintenance is needed or not...Did you know that..BC Ferries carries far more people than that highway, and that boys is just one highway maintenance contract, ...BC Ferries pays, the BC Government pays nothing to paint BC Ferry`s roads, no pot holes to be fixed, no repaving, the ocean requires nothing..That Sea To Sky highway ripoff story is here..
Bill good, Baldrey, Palmer all said BC Ferries is not part of the highway system
Really boys(stooges) how are the interior ferries part of the highway system, is it because those are BC Liberal/BC Socred party held ridings?
And clearly WAC Bennett did believe BC Ferries were critical to BCers, critical to business, to tourism, to opening up British Columbia..
I suggest you read these shocking facts..
Vaughn Palmer said....There is no proof lowering ferry fees will increase ridership, ferry travel is down on our inland ferries and they are free..
Well, if that doesn`t take the cake, Vaughn Palmer, how did you come to that conclusion, because ferry travel is down on free interior ferries?..How come there are massive line ups heading south every weekend, massive line ups of BC Shoppers heading south for goods and gas, does not price drive that traffic, does not Las Vegas and Reno subsidize airfare and hotels costs just to get customers to their gaming tables, obviously price matters....Lowering prices doesn`t increase ridership, absurd Vaughn, absolutely absurd, with your logic BC Ferries should double the price of ferry travel, that will make no difference, ...Sheesh, unbelievable!
In tourism, it takes a long time to build a reputation, it takes a long time to rebuild a reputation, BC Ferries has a bad reputation from word of mouth, yes it`s true that a 10% mid-week discount in November, January won`t likely drive more traffic, but a 50% reduction in summer will drive traffic, increase tourism..
I personally know RV and boaters who don`t travel to Vancouver island anymore, a round trip towing a boat on BC Ferries with your family is $600.00..or more, just for ferry fees!
Those one-time Vancouver Island tourists now go east, go south, and newsflash, people towing boats and RV should get cheap ferry fares, because that means tourism dollars, hundreds of dollars to fill up a boat`s gas tank, that means food buying, recreational sites, breakdowns and repairs, hotel and motel stays, that means a flourishing tourism and flourishing local businesses, that means more employment..
BC Ferry`s have destroyed their reputation and you can`t flip a lightswitch and get that back..It will take time..
Keith Baldrey, Vaughn Palmer, Billy Good said...If people choose to live on an island they shouldn`t expect the rest of British Columbia to subsidize their lifestyle..
Well boys, Powell river, the Sunshine Coast are not islands, they are part of the mainland, in fact many years ago, late 90`s there was a plan to build a big highway from Langdale to Powell river, once you get off at Langdale there is this major thoroughfare that travels northwest, but it ends a couple of miles up the hill, and reverts back to the old coastal scenic drive, the project was abandoned over cost..Without BC Ferries...BC Governments concluded decades ago that it was cheaper to have a ferry to the Sunshine Coast than to build a highway up and around the top end of Howe Sound and then back to the coast, it would cost $billions....We are not an island, we are mainland, look at a damn map..
So we aren`t on a island and Vancouver Island is bigger than some European countries, hundreds of miles long..And, it`s not an island when you are standing on it..Yes cknw gets many idiot callers, hey Ron..You are an idiot!, Ron calls and complains that people went to Vancouver island for cheap housing, and that they shouldn`t complain about ferry fares, and if they do they should move to Vancouver and buy a condo if they can`t afford a $1 million dollar plain old house..
Yes Ron the caller at CKNW..You are indeed an idiot!
Ok BC Liberals, go ahead and remove the ferries to the Sunshine coast and build us a highway, get on it will ya!..We are waiting, I and my fellow Sunshine Coasters will happily pay a $3 dollar toll each way...Start paving!
Vancouver trade and convention center loses money every year yet convention fees aren`t increased because the BC Liberals claim the convention center creates economic activity, and it does, about 1/1000th of the economic activity surrounding BC ferries..
Gordon Campbell really screwed us with BC Ferries, he stole $500 million dollars from BC ferries to balance his 2005 election budget, that`s why he privatized it, to keep prying eyes from finding out..Vaughn, Keith and Billy know this, they refuse to acknowledge it..
They also know that BC ferries could save over $30 million dollars on interest payments per year on their $1.6 billion dollar debt if they were returned to crown corporation status..as a part of Government their interest rate would be cut in half, this too was a deliberate defunding of BC Ferries of $millions of dollars, monies going into private friends hands, private friends of the BC liberals.
The bottom line is political revenge, Vancouver Island and coastal ridings for decades have been BC NDP country, BC Liberals don`t need those ridings to form Government, if they did these antics and crimes would never happen, if coastal ridings were held by BC Liberal and interior ridings held by NDP.... BC Ferries would be almost free..or free..
This is vindictiveness by a BC Liberal Government, but it`s also very stupid, it is very poor economic planning, they are biting off their nose to spite their face, tourism means jobs, means tax dollars, gas tax dollars..Vancouver island is huge, those visitors fill their car up with Canada`s most expensive gasoline..They stay in hotels, at resorts, they play golf, go fishing..
The Sunshine coast too, business are hurting up here and on the island, and it will only get worse..
BC Ferry service needs to be restored and ferry fees need to be cut in half or more, and it`s not a sop to anyone, it makes good business sense, there might be short term pain however, it will result in long term gain..
However, BC Liberals couildn`t run a peanut stand, that`s why BC`s debt is over $70 billion dollars, over $170 billion if you count all BC`s debt and commitments..
British Columbia`s true debt numbers can be found here..
You must listen to three stooges on last Friday`s radio show on cknw, listen to them lie, confuse and bafflegab, listen to them defend the BC Liberal Government with vigor, listen to them fight with every caller, Keith Baldrey and Billy Good get really flustered and start to yell..its obvious they got their marching order from the BC Liberals and CKNW`s management/ownership team....Its also obvious the BC Liberals are trying to make the BC Ferry mess leave the front pages...Cue up last Friday November 22/ 10:00 AM......(Thanks Merv Adey)..cue the spin doctors.
Have your barfbags ready....For shame on you stooges, Keith Baldrey, Vaughn Palmer, Bill Good, you have attained new all-time lows for media, and I thought that was impossible, you clowns proved me wrong, the media, that`s a mistake, BC Liberal spin doctors is your real title!
The mossy-ledge boys are avoiding at all costs the fact that, "Gordon Campbell really screwed us with BC Ferries, he stole $500 million dollars from BC ferries to balance his 2005 election budget, that`s why he privatized it, to keep prying eyes from finding out." And you're absolutely right to say that, "Vaughn, Keith and Billy know this, (but) they refuse to acknowledge it." Surely this is proof that they are in place to run deep cover.
Furthermore, you're also right to call out the hedgey boys for obfuscating on the related matter of the overly high carrying costs on the BC Ferries debt. As you put it, "They also know that BC ferries could save over $30 million dollars on interest payments per year on their $1.6 billion dollar debt if they were returned to crown corporation status..as a part of Government their interest rate would be cut in half (or more), this too was a deliberate defunding of BC Ferries of $millions of dollars, monies going into private friends hands, private friends of the BC liberals."
It's the debt and its carrying costs that are bleeding BC Ferries. I cal it financialized larceny by the banks and big money boys.
Perhaps someone in the opposition might be able to make points like those above if dilly-dallying dix and embedded moey got themselves the hell out of the way and allowed for some new blood to step up to the mics.
Grant the Kooteny lake ferry crossing is the MV Osprey, which is the sister ship to the MV Skeena Queen that sails from Fulford Harbour to Swartz Bay. These two should be compared, as they are the same ships, same car capacity and even the same crossing time. One is free the other over $40. Though I do hear that the FREE one offers a cafeteria and the other has one vending machine for chips, chocolate or pop. It is time to start charging inland ferries a user fee.
"It is time to start charging inland ferries a user fee."
Eff off anon. Most of the interior ferries cross bodies of water either created or made bigger by dams built so Fat Richie and Bullshit Bill Bennett could screw us on our hydro bills. In some cases these ferries (like the Shelter Bay - Galena) cross bodies of water that once were effing valley land.
When Gordo became dickheadtater in 2001 he tried to cut down ferry service all over the Kootenays, even though we had elected his guy, Air Blair. We fought back and preserved the services to Procter-Harrop and Glade (A ferry that used to run by "friction" cable powered by the current, until BC Hydro built the Brilliant Dam, thus eliminating the current and making the crossing longer. It is still cable, but needs an engine for power with the current gone.
By the way, Air Blair got turfed and had to go back to being a sleazy lawyer instead of a sleazy politician.
Except for Bullshit Bill over in Cram it up your Brook, most of the Kootenays are NDP ridings. We are also currently represented in Ottawa by the NDP, but this may end next election due to gerrymandering that brought reich wing Penticton into our riding and kicked Creston and some other communities into Alberta West, or Kootenay East.
I would like to tell you..MEDIA MANIPULATION and PROPAGANDA..
You fell for it..Rather than fixing BC Ferries your answer is to punish others to bring a sense of equity..
That`s wrong.
Right now, today, late last week Todd Stone(BC Minister of transportation) has opened the door to lowering tolls but..but putting tolls on all bridges, albeit a smaller toll..
That`s wrong, it cost $millions and $millions to set up toll collection, cameras, sensors, staffed tolling companies...
Make a car levy that every one pays when they buy insurance..
That`s easier, however, when Todd Stone talks about tolling everything with lower tolls, Government`s goal is not collect what they collect now, but to collect double, triple, or more..
Until Government stops giving the money away to foreighn companies, to BC Liberal insiders, cronyism, patronage, a $million here, a $250K job there..
The BC Government couldn`t run a peanut stand..
Don`t fall into the propaganda trap..as you said..
"It is time to start charging inland ferries a user fee."
That desn`t fix the BC Ferry scam the BC Liberals are pulling, does it?
No, it gives more money to Government which they will in turn hand over to their party donating friends..
Be aware, don`t be a sheeple, don`t let the Government cloud your mind..
Two wrongs don`t make a right, giving the BC Guv more money will solve nothing.
the increase in ferry fares certainly caused me to not use them. rates went up because the B.C. Ferries pay a higher rate of interest than necessary. Not being willing to participate in the joke, I use the ferries only when absolutely necessary. Many used to use them several times a yr. for visiting friends or some thing to do. Now that is a $200 bill with gas included. given the cost of smaller routes, it is cheaper to have a car at each end of the ferry route. If the provincial government really wanted to save money, they would simply make sure they got a cheaper rate on the interest with the german banks. There is another plan afoot and it has little or nothing to do with money. Like they did come up with all that money to build a convention centre in Vancouver and a new roof for B.C. Place or whatever they are calling it these days.
10 comments:
Fantastic Grant, british columbias top investigative journalist!
Great post, Thanks
Watchmen
Gave 'em listen and you're dead on.
The mossy-ledge boys are avoiding at all costs the fact that, "Gordon Campbell really screwed us with BC Ferries, he stole $500 million dollars from BC ferries to balance his 2005 election budget, that`s why he privatized it, to keep prying eyes from finding out." And you're absolutely right to say that, "Vaughn, Keith and Billy know this, (but) they refuse to acknowledge it." Surely this is proof that they are in place to run deep cover.
Furthermore, you're also right to call out the hedgey boys for obfuscating on the related matter of the overly high carrying costs on the BC Ferries debt. As you put it, "They also know that BC ferries could save over $30 million dollars on interest payments per year on their $1.6 billion dollar debt if they were returned to crown corporation status..as a part of Government their interest rate would be cut in half (or more), this too was a deliberate defunding of BC Ferries of $millions of dollars, monies going into private friends hands, private friends of the BC liberals."
It's the debt and its carrying costs that are bleeding BC Ferries. I cal it financialized larceny by the banks and big money boys.
Perhaps someone in the opposition might be able to make points like those above if dilly-dallying dix and embedded moey got themselves the hell out of the way and allowed for some new blood to step up to the mics.
Cheers.
and the people in the interior are getting a new free ferry paid by all the BC taxpayers, at least it is being built in BC.
Where is the media?????
"(Knob) Gobblers"
That could be used to describe most of our political writers.
Thanks for raising the bar.
JD
Grant the Kooteny lake ferry crossing is the MV Osprey, which is the sister ship to the MV Skeena Queen that sails from Fulford Harbour to Swartz Bay. These two should be compared, as they are the same ships, same car capacity and even the same crossing time. One is free the other over $40. Though I do hear that the FREE one offers a cafeteria and the other has one vending machine for chips, chocolate or pop.
It is time to start charging inland ferries a user fee.
"It is time to start charging inland ferries a user fee."
Eff off anon. Most of the interior ferries cross bodies of water either created or made bigger by dams built so Fat Richie and Bullshit Bill Bennett could screw us on our hydro bills. In some cases these ferries (like the Shelter Bay - Galena) cross bodies of water that once were effing valley land.
When Gordo became dickheadtater in 2001 he tried to cut down ferry service all over the Kootenays, even though we had elected his guy, Air Blair. We fought back and preserved the services to Procter-Harrop and Glade (A ferry that used to run by "friction" cable powered by the current, until BC Hydro built the Brilliant Dam, thus eliminating the current and making the crossing longer. It is still cable, but needs an engine for power with the current gone.
By the way, Air Blair got turfed and had to go back to being a sleazy lawyer instead of a sleazy politician.
Except for Bullshit Bill over in Cram it up your Brook, most of the Kootenays are NDP ridings. We are also currently represented in Ottawa by the NDP, but this may end next election due to gerrymandering that brought reich wing Penticton into our riding and kicked Creston and some other communities into Alberta West, or Kootenay East.
@anon 4:32 am...
Kootcoot is correct..
I would like to tell you..MEDIA MANIPULATION and PROPAGANDA..
You fell for it..Rather than fixing BC Ferries your answer is to punish others to bring a sense of equity..
That`s wrong.
Right now, today, late last week Todd Stone(BC Minister of transportation) has opened the door to lowering tolls but..but putting tolls on all bridges, albeit a smaller toll..
That`s wrong, it cost $millions and $millions to set up toll collection, cameras, sensors, staffed tolling companies...
Make a car levy that every one pays when they buy insurance..
That`s easier, however, when Todd Stone talks about tolling everything with lower tolls, Government`s goal is not collect what they collect now, but to collect double, triple, or more..
Until Government stops giving the money away to foreighn companies, to BC Liberal insiders, cronyism, patronage, a $million here, a $250K job there..
The BC Government couldn`t run a peanut stand..
Don`t fall into the propaganda trap..as you said..
"It is time to start charging inland ferries a user fee."
That desn`t fix the BC Ferry scam the BC Liberals are pulling, does it?
No, it gives more money to Government which they will in turn hand over to their party donating friends..
Be aware, don`t be a sheeple, don`t let the Government cloud your mind..
Two wrongs don`t make a right, giving the BC Guv more money will solve nothing.
I'm pissed just as much as anyone over the ferry issue. All I can say is FU Koot. You don't even pay so shut up.
the increase in ferry fares certainly caused me to not use them. rates went up because the B.C. Ferries pay a higher rate of interest than necessary. Not being willing to participate in the joke, I use the ferries only when absolutely necessary. Many used to use them several times a yr. for visiting friends or some thing to do. Now that is a $200 bill with gas included. given the cost of smaller routes, it is cheaper to have a car at each end of the ferry route. If the provincial government really wanted to save money, they would simply make sure they got a cheaper rate on the interest with the german banks. There is another plan afoot and it has little or nothing to do with money. Like they did come up with all that money to build a convention centre in Vancouver and a new roof for B.C. Place or whatever they are calling it these days.
justin trudeau's comments to bill good (baad), re northern gateway pipeline, on CKNW's audio-vault,should be dec 17th 8:36am
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