KE7JFF
Chief Steward
Posts: 106
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Post by KE7JFF on Jul 13, 2011 16:12:22 GMT -8
You know, reading about the current situation with BC Ferries, I want to predict that in the not too distant future that the management company might revert back to a crown corp; kind of repeating history with the old Puget Sound Navigation Company eons ago.
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Post by lmtengs on Jul 13, 2011 16:48:44 GMT -8
You know, reading about the current situation with BC Ferries, I want to predict that in the not too distant future that the management company might revert back to a crown corp; kind of repeating history with the old Puget Sound Navigation Company eons ago. You're not the only one who thinks BCF will return to the Government. Keep your fingers crossed!
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Post by 1foot2ships on Jan 14, 2020 17:16:06 GMT -8
when premier john was running as just the leader of the opposition, i had a chance encounter with him and asked him to put BCFC back to what it was before. he shook my hand and smiled. my fingers are still crossed... that was a good back/forth argument about the C's vs the Coastal's. i didnt know the AEQ difference was only 10! FWIW, i think what WettCoast said is more accurate than the counterarguments against him. a big dis-improvement for me since 2003 is how there are no more recycle bins for us to make someone else's day with with a free newspaper. stupid profit motive... oh... and the wifi is better!
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,151
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Post by Neil on Jan 14, 2020 20:35:01 GMT -8
when premier john was running as just the leader of the opposition, i had a chance encounter with him and asked him to put BCFC back to what it was before. he shook my hand and smiled. my fingers are still crossed... that was a good back/forth argument about the C's vs the Küsten's. i didnt know the AEQ difference was only 10! FWIW, i think what WettCoast said is more accurate than the counterarguments against him. a big dis-improvement for me since 2003 is how there are no more recycle bins for us to make someone else's day with with a free newspaper. stupid profit motive... oh... and the wifi is better!
I suspect that when John Horgan smiled at your suggestion, he was thinking, "We have more important things to worry about". BC Ferries can address the needs of coastal communities, or not, whether it's a branch of the highways department, or a 'private' corporation. In the end, it all depends on direction from the government, and the level of financing. We've been through the question of governance many times on this forum, and I don't much care what the model is anymore. I don't think you can unscramble the omelette that Gordon Campbell made. Take BC Ferries back into pure government management, and Andrew Wilkinson would see an opportunity to scream about the debt that the evil NDP has added to provincial coffers. Horgan is savvy, and probably won't give him that opening. David Hahn used to make out that BC Ferries was a mess prior to 2003, and that the new operating model brought in a golden age for ferries. Hogwash. But we are where we are, and I think BC Ferries is pretty well run, with a new vision from the current government to serve the public much better than under the previous Liberal regime. I hope it continues.
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Post by Starsteward on Jan 15, 2020 10:56:09 GMT -8
when premier john was running as just the leader of the opposition, i had a chance encounter with him and asked him to put BCFC back to what it was before. he shook my hand and smiled. my fingers are still crossed... that was a good back/forth argument about the C's vs the Küsten's. i didnt know the AEQ difference was only 10! FWIW, i think what WettCoast said is more accurate than the counterarguments against him. a big dis-improvement for me since 2003 is how there are no more recycle bins for us to make someone else's day with with a free newspaper. stupid profit motive... oh... and the wifi is better!
I suspect that when John Horgan smiled at your suggestion, he was thinking, "We have more important things to worry about". BC Ferries can address the needs of coastal communities, or not, whether it's a branch of the highways department, or a 'private' corporation. In the end, it all depends on direction from the government, and the level of financing. We've been through the question of governance many times on this forum, and I don't much care what the model is anymore. I don't think you can unscramble the omelette that Gordon Campbell made. Take BC Ferries back into pure government management, and Andrew Wilkinson would see an opportunity to scream about the debt that the evil NDP has added to provincial coffers. Horgan is savvy, and probably won't give him that opening. David Hahn used to make out that BC Ferries was a mess prior to 2003, and that the new operating model brought in a golden age for ferries. Hogwash. But we are where we are, and I think BC Ferries is pretty well run, with a new vision from the current government to serve the public much better than under the previous Liberal regime. I hope it continues. There was a time when I must admit I was beating the drum for the BCFS to be lovingly re-incorporated into the provincial government fabric. In today's highly partisan divide in the political arena, I agree with ' Neil' that BC Ferries would swing to and fro, on a steady diet of political 'meddling', ensuring that we would see a return to 'administration by party politics', but thankfully based on the current model, (which I confess I have had misgivings), although during the past decade or so, the 'Corporation' has made some rather remarkable progress in many areas of its operations. The utter evil management of the previous Clark regime should serve as a warning that the end game of 'interference management', would most assuredly rise again. Todays' BCFS system is being thoughtfully financially supported by the current government and left to run its day to day affairs as well as being supported in the long list of future corporate planning encompassing fleet renewal, fleet standardization, planning and executing environmentally friendly fuel systems, awareness of long term planning for terminal renewals and expansions. Customer service improvements are constantly being proposed and implemented, ( although some may argue that BCFS constantly misses the mark when weather issues pop up), ie. the lack of catering options at terminals when entire operating schedules are erased during a 'Mother nature hissy-fit'. Has BCFS done a perfect job at running their, as some would suggest, weird corporate entity? Short answer: No. BUT, the BCFS balance sheet, new vessel inventory, (decreasing the average fleet age to becoming 'younger again') Yes, don't we wish we could sneak into that performance in human terms? Future terminal expansion and upgrading plans, along with a, I would argue, a relatively good relationship with its customer base AND being afforded a reasonable and positive degree of provincial government support, must surely make ferry operators to the south and north of us, just a wee bit envious eh? Finally, just a word on new vessel procurement, lest there are members chomping on the bit to dredge up the tired, messy, and incongruous notion that BCFS should build newbuilds anywhere in Canada...sorry folks but that boat, aptly christened the M.V. 'Political Mismanagement' has long since sailed into the annals of maritime history.
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