April 25, 2005
Duncan – Not only is the NDP plan for BC Ferries a recipe for disaster, it’s a recipe they have followed before – the one that cooked up the fast ferries, said BC Liberal candidate Graham Bruce (Cowichan-Ladysmith).
“Carole James wants to go back to the same interference and meddling that led to the fast ferry fiasco,” said Bruce. “It’s the same old NDP and we will get the same old results.”
“Vancouver Islanders have paid too high a price for NDP incompetence with our ferry system. The NDP legacy is clear: old ships, higher fares and poor service,” said Bruce.
Bruce said the new BC Ferries model is more accountable to communities and is more responsive to the customer.
“Carole James wants to make BC Ferries a Crown corporation again, subject to the same type of political interference that existed when the fast ferries were built. Hasn’t the NDP learned anything?” asked Bruce. “British Columbians – and their wallets - have had enough of the NDP monkeying around with our ferry system.
“More than $463 million was wasted on fast ferries,” said Bruce. “That money could have been used to build new ships and improve service.”
Bruce said the future for BC Ferries is exciting and will benefit all Islanders.
“After 10 years of fast ferries and mismanagement under the NDP, we are now seeing reinvestment into our fleet and our terminals as well as long-term labour peace through a seven-year labour agreement. We need to keep moving forward and not go back to the failed policies of the past,” added Bruce.
