Once again it seems that the kids can’t get along too well in that sandbox that British Columbians call the Provincial Legislature.
Two little words have landed Kevin Falcon in the Legislature dog house with the NDP, after the transportation minister was overheard last Thursday shouting out “boo hoo” in response to a question. New Democrat MLA Doug Routley asked a question in the Legislature about the steady rise in ferry fees for coastal communities when Falcon uttered his succinct impression of the question at hand.
It was a response that has North Coast MLA Gary Coons more than a little angry at what he calls Falcon’s arrogant response to a legitimate question.
The Opposition critic for ferries made some hay out of Falcons misguided response with some coverage in Wednesday’s Daily News.
Minister draws ire for ‘boo hoo’
Critics claim minister Falcon unsympathetic to ferry communities
By Leann Ritchie
The Daily News
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Pages one and three
North Coast MLA Gary Coons fired back at Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon in the legislature yesterday for what Coons described as an “arrogant” response to the concerns of coastal communities about rising ferry fares.
“British Columbians deserve a real response from this minister. But last Thursday all he had to say about ferry users’ concerns was: “Boo hoo,’ said Coons.
Coons was referring to Falcon’s response of “Boo hoo” in the legislature last Thursday after New Democrat MLA Doug Routley said “Can you imagine a government that over four years could oversee more than 100 percent increases in ferry fares on our small runs?”
“What exactly did he mean by ‘boo hoo?” said Coons, who said he finds nothing funny about the fact some coastal communities faced cost increases of more than 100 per cent in ferry fares between 2003 and 2011.
Coons has been on a three-month tour of communities that use B. C. Ferries as part of their marine highway, listening to concerns from the public about the ferry system and the changes that have been made since it was privatized by the government in 2003.
So far, he has spoken to residents and business owners in more than 20 communities on Vancouver Island, the North Coast, Gulf Islands, and the Sunshine Coast.
He has also been calling on the provincial government to freeze ferry fares until government assembles a committee to review the impact of the Coastal Ferries Act on ferry-dependent communities. The act was the piece of legislation used to turn the company from a Crown corporation to a private one.
In response to Coons’ concerns, Falcon defended the ferry system and explained the rising costs come in part from the increase in fuel costs.
“The fact of the matter is that the B. C. government provides over $130 million a year in subsidies – a number that has gone up every year to make sure that we keep rates as affordable as possible for ferry-dependent communities,” said Falcon.
However, Coons replied that it was not the provincial subsidy that went up in the last four years, but the federal subsidy that was going up.
Falcon then pointed out that during the time NDP were in power in the 90s, fares went up more than 70 percent.
“The difference, of course, is this. They blew half a billion dollars on three ferries that didn’t work at all. They bankrupted the corporation with over a billion dollars’ worth of debt that had to be written off. The corporation did not invest in a ferry fleet, which had an average of 42 years. It suffered from political interference of every possible shape imaginable, and they essentially wrecked the ferry system,” said Falcon.
However, Claire Trevena, MLA for Northern Vancouver Island, said that doesn’t excuse the current situation, nor the minister’s response last week to those concerns.
“In my constituency, fares have doubled since his government has taken office. Wages haven’t doubled. People cannot cope with these increases. So I ask the Minister of Transportation not to have a dismissive sneer, not to be dismissive and just go, ‘Boo hoo,’ but to commit to the people of British Columbia, to commit to the people who live on the islands that he will freeze ferry fares,” she said.
Two little words have landed Kevin Falcon in the Legislature dog house with the NDP, after the transportation minister was overheard last Thursday shouting out “boo hoo” in response to a question. New Democrat MLA Doug Routley asked a question in the Legislature about the steady rise in ferry fees for coastal communities when Falcon uttered his succinct impression of the question at hand.
It was a response that has North Coast MLA Gary Coons more than a little angry at what he calls Falcon’s arrogant response to a legitimate question.
The Opposition critic for ferries made some hay out of Falcons misguided response with some coverage in Wednesday’s Daily News.
Minister draws ire for ‘boo hoo’
Critics claim minister Falcon unsympathetic to ferry communities
By Leann Ritchie
The Daily News
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Pages one and three
North Coast MLA Gary Coons fired back at Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon in the legislature yesterday for what Coons described as an “arrogant” response to the concerns of coastal communities about rising ferry fares.
“British Columbians deserve a real response from this minister. But last Thursday all he had to say about ferry users’ concerns was: “Boo hoo,’ said Coons.
Coons was referring to Falcon’s response of “Boo hoo” in the legislature last Thursday after New Democrat MLA Doug Routley said “Can you imagine a government that over four years could oversee more than 100 percent increases in ferry fares on our small runs?”
“What exactly did he mean by ‘boo hoo?” said Coons, who said he finds nothing funny about the fact some coastal communities faced cost increases of more than 100 per cent in ferry fares between 2003 and 2011.
Coons has been on a three-month tour of communities that use B. C. Ferries as part of their marine highway, listening to concerns from the public about the ferry system and the changes that have been made since it was privatized by the government in 2003.
So far, he has spoken to residents and business owners in more than 20 communities on Vancouver Island, the North Coast, Gulf Islands, and the Sunshine Coast.
He has also been calling on the provincial government to freeze ferry fares until government assembles a committee to review the impact of the Coastal Ferries Act on ferry-dependent communities. The act was the piece of legislation used to turn the company from a Crown corporation to a private one.
In response to Coons’ concerns, Falcon defended the ferry system and explained the rising costs come in part from the increase in fuel costs.
“The fact of the matter is that the B. C. government provides over $130 million a year in subsidies – a number that has gone up every year to make sure that we keep rates as affordable as possible for ferry-dependent communities,” said Falcon.
However, Coons replied that it was not the provincial subsidy that went up in the last four years, but the federal subsidy that was going up.
Falcon then pointed out that during the time NDP were in power in the 90s, fares went up more than 70 percent.
“The difference, of course, is this. They blew half a billion dollars on three ferries that didn’t work at all. They bankrupted the corporation with over a billion dollars’ worth of debt that had to be written off. The corporation did not invest in a ferry fleet, which had an average of 42 years. It suffered from political interference of every possible shape imaginable, and they essentially wrecked the ferry system,” said Falcon.
However, Claire Trevena, MLA for Northern Vancouver Island, said that doesn’t excuse the current situation, nor the minister’s response last week to those concerns.
“In my constituency, fares have doubled since his government has taken office. Wages haven’t doubled. People cannot cope with these increases. So I ask the Minister of Transportation not to have a dismissive sneer, not to be dismissive and just go, ‘Boo hoo,’ but to commit to the people of British Columbia, to commit to the people who live on the islands that he will freeze ferry fares,” she said.
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