Fingers pointing everywhere

It was predictable but still sad to see that in the wake of the Queen of Prince Rupert disaster, our political class has descended into the age old practice of pointing the finger at the other side.

Whether it’s the Liberals blaming the NDP for their fast cat folly, or the NDP countering with the we told you so’s, the whole process of assessing blames is appearing unseemly to most.

I think the average British Columbian can do the math and realize that the NDP wasted valuable years and money on their vanity project of boats that never sailed. Likewise it was five years ago that the Gordon Campbell government took the helm of the good ship BC, they’ve been warned by their own BC Ferries CEO that the northern ships were particularly vulnerable, so they can be as disingenuous as they wish, but the simple fact is they’re the one’s in charge at the moment.

That means that they need to provide the leadership in making sure that replacement vessels are provided without delay, vessels that are up to date and suitable for the open ocean sailings that the North Coast requires.

With what appears to be the tragic loss of two lives in the sinking of the Queen of the North, the time for the politics at the expense of the ferries should come to an end.

Two of British Columbia’s most read commentators weighed into the debate today with columns on the issue, they should be made required reading in both the NDP and Liberal caucus offices. Vaughn Palmer (read here) and Michael Smyth (read here) hit the nail on the head with their comments over the ferries fiascos of the last fifteen years. We’ve been talking about the age and safety concerns of our ferries for far too long; yesterday we found that many of those concerns were not only valid but prescient.

The only goal now should be a common one for both government and opposition, Management of BC Ferries and unionized workers alike, a safe, modern form of transportation for the people of the North Coast.

The pointless jockeying for the moral high ground can come to an end. The apologists and acolytes for each political party and special interest should remain silent. There is no high ground any more, no need for scoring cheap political points, just a sobering reality that something went terribly wrong and should be addressed without delay.

The memories of those who may have perished deserve no less, as well as concern for those that suffered such fear early Wednesday morning . Likewise the long suffering residents of the northern runs should be attended to now, they have been made far too many promises in the past, and seen far too little interest in their safety since.