Hypothetical Scenario

[Scott]

With the real possibility of private ferry companies coming to the coast and possibly taking over some of the BC Ferry routes along with the example of the Harbourlynx failure (the most recent in a long list), don't you think the BC government will inevetably be forced back into the ferry business?

Say a private company takes over the two Powell River routes (this is just for illustration.. it could be any route). They have two ferries, but run into problems with fuel costs, engine breakdowns, labour difficulty, etc. Like every other private ferry company in recent history, they go bankrupt... they can't fulfill the coastal ferry contract... the government has no choice but to step in.

Meanwhile, BC Ferries has downsized... they don't have the ferries for the route anymore. So the government is going to have to confiscate the assets of the company like they did in the late 1950's and keep the ferries running. They have no choice.

I can see this happening. Maybe there are safeguards to prevent it, I don't know.

The other possible scenario is that the NDP gets back in (inevetibly) and brings BC Ferries back into crown corporation status. If they win the next election, I could see it happening, but if they don't, they'll probably drop it.

[Curtis]

The Ferries should be government runned but the company should be in a separate sector of the government it should be made up of the BCF company they have now and the highways minister would be involved so the government doesn't make the big decisions because of things like the Fastcat Fiasco.
So in conclusion. Just keep it Government Runned but the Government doesn't make the big descisions

[NMcKay]

i think to make it more competittive. they should remove BCF's operating subsidy, and see how long they last.

[Low Light Mike]

John: I think you've just illustrated an inevitable "50 year cycle" that's just about ready to come around full-circle for the first time.

We're back at 1956 again, give or take a few years.

I don't know how many of these cycles can occur, because technology and demographics change so much (ie this would be the 1st go around, because there wasn't Gov't ferry service in 1900).

but your scenario sounds plausible, that we're being set up for a 1955-1960 climate all over again.

If you see a "Mr. Peabody" in charge of a contracted-out service, then you know we're in a time-warp......otherwise it would just be an erie coincidence.

Now I'm on a twilight-zone type of mindbend, to wonder what else in 2006 is seeming like 1956? Marty McFly, where are you now?

[Mac Write]

Back in 1985 since he left on November 16, 11AM.

[Balfour]

If there is to be any form of Government involvment, they should fund BCF with our tax dollars, but not operate or make any kind of business decisions. Business run by government doesn't work.

[Dane]

harbourlynxkid said:

i think to make it more competittive. they should remove BCF's operating subsidy, and see how long they last.

I don't believe that's the point of discussion really.

BC needs ferries to have an effective highway system. The counter example of Europe is flawed as a great majority of those routes aren't a necessity of life.

As such, BCF should be part of our public transportation infastructure. Privating BC Ferries to me, makes as much sense as privatizing city bus service.

[Scott]

dane said:

BC needs ferries to have an effective highway system. The counter example of Europe is flawed as a great majority of those routes aren't a necessity of life.

I've also thought of this recently. Sure, the traffic on BC Ferries is huge... more than Europe, so it's obvious that it would be an attractive place for ferry operators to think of investing. But it's a totally different scenario if you compare it to cross-Channel ferries or cross-Baltic ferries. If those ferry companies go belly-up, it's not a huge deal. It's an inconvenience for some, but freight still moves, passengers still get across, there are lots of options, and not much neccessity. People won't die or be forced to move because of it.

In BC, if a ferry operator stops operating, islands will shut down, people could die, businesses would be destroyed, the whole economy on the coast could be affected if it involved Vancouver Island.

It would be interesting to see how ferry operators to smaller, ferry-dependent islands in Europe are run (like in Norway and Britain).. are they government-run or are they private? In North America, all major ferry fleets are publicly run, mainly because they're part of the highway system. Alaska depends on ferry service.. as does Washington.. Newfoundland... New York City... all these places have publicly funded ferries.

[Queen of Nanaimo Teen]

If the government becomes involved with bc ferries again, do you guys think that they will repaint them in some sort of new scheme?

[Curtis]

Nah! Just a waste of money on paint but maybe they could bring the Dogwood Back

[Neil]

In BC right now, we're witnessing the insanity of a very strongly ideological government trying to run what should be a public utility as a stand alone, for profit, corporation. Obviously, BC Ferries should not be expected to make money any more than we would expect the Granville Street bus to make money, or the school system, or the Iona sewage treatment plant. They're simply all parts of the infrastructure that makes BC work. BC Ferries should be returned to what it was when WAC Bennett started it; a public utility, well run, and publicly funded to the extent of providing good service without being extravagant. And as for government enterprises not working, believe it or not, ICBC is one of the most efficient insurance companies in the world- lower overhead than most, and reasonable rates, although I realize that many who've had to deal with them hate them, but that's the nature of the beast. Anyway, pretty much every place that ferry systems have been privatized has seen huge increases in rates. Check out some of the fares charged for even half hour routes in Scotland, for instance, and Bowen Islanders might stop complaining about what they pay. I'd be really surprised if any of the private operators said to be snooping around the Harbourlynx remains actually get involved here- unless our privateering government gives them a real sweetheart deal. And they just might, if for no other reason than to make the ferry union more timid and less demanding for fear of losing their jobs to 'free enterprise'. End of rant. Sorry if I've been too political.

[Retrovision]

admin said:

With the real possibility of private ferry companies coming to the coast and possibly taking over some of the BC Ferry routes along with the example of the Harbourlynx failure (the most recent in a long list), don't you think the BC government will inevetably be forced back into the ferry business?

Say a private company takes over the two Powell River routes (this is just for illustration.. it could be any route). They have two ferries, but run into problems with fuel costs, engine breakdowns, labour difficulty, etc. Like every other private ferry company in recent history, they go bankrupt... they can't fulfill the coastal ferry contract... the government has no choice but to step in.

My guess is that they're making their best go at it, and will just pull a W.A.C. Bennett to get back in to what will always be theirs (if they always keep the base infrastructure). After all, a good number of them (BC Liberal MPs) are ex-SoCreds, are they not?

[Low Light Mike]

.....hey, your from Hornby Island, so we expect you to have some political viewpoints.

Good to see the login-in name is working for you again.

[Neil]

Wow. Ultra marathon anything is pretty impressive. How many miles are we talking here?

[Quinsam]

prqueenkid16 said:

Nah! Just a waste of money on paint but maybe they could bring the Dogwood Back

I was hoping Expo, as it brings life of me old country back to me, as the trains are in those colours too, or used to be 2 years ago! LOL