Coons keeps critics’ position

Bad news for David Hahn at BC Ferries, the stone in his shoe known as Gary Coons, will remain ensconced there for a while yet. The Provincial NDP shuffled the decks of its Governmental critics this past week and when Carole James had finished the dance, the MLA for Prince Rupert was still in charge of keeping an eye on the governments handling of all things Ferries and Ports.

Coon‘s has been very public and very dedicated to his position in the last six months, starting with the issues surrounding the sinking of the Queen of the North and more recently with the concerns of North Coast residents over the reduction in service, combined with the ever spiraling cost of sailing.

He has occasionally appeared to get under the skin of the CEO for the BC Ferry Corporation, who has described him as politically motivated at times. Which is probably why James has kept Coons in the high profile position, he’s kept the issues of the day public and in the news, much to the dismay of the Ferry Corporation and the Liberals. In other words, he’s probably been doing his job about as effectively as most these days.

Below is the story from the Queen Charlotte Observer describing the renewal of Coon’s position with the NDP forces at the Legislature.


Coons continues as ferry critic
qciobserver.com
Friday, June 30, 2006


North Coast MLA Gary Coons has held onto his position as the opposition critic for Ferries and Ports after NDP leader Carole James announced new assignments last week for many of the opposition MLAs.

Ms James said the opposition will continue to hold the Campbell government to account “on the issues that matter to ordinary families” and praised the team's work over the past year bringing forward problems with at-risk children, seniors living in care homes and patients waiting in overcrowded emergency rooms.

“Despite a growing economy, many British Columbians are falling further behind,” Ms James said. “BC leads the country with the highest number of children and families living in poverty, patient care in hospitals has declined, interior communities are facing a very uncertain future, and British Columbians are growing frustrated with an increasingly secretive and arrogant Liberal government.”