On July 30th, the Minister of Finance announced a tax cut that will benefit purchasers of SUVs. It took the Campbell government a couple more days, until August 1st, before it finally ended the transit dispute. Government could have legislated the mediator's report on June 8th. For six weeks there was no transit because it just wasn't a priority for the Campbell government.

June 22, 2001

What if the MLAs needed buses?

The Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority, also known as "TransLink", was created by the BC Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Act in 1998. Coast Mountain is identified on the TransLink website as one of it's subsidiary and contracted companies.

Drivers have noticed that it is actually easier to get around town during the transit strike. The elderly, the poor, students and other people without cars have a much different story. But like everything else, demand is measured not by numbers of people but by numbers of dollars. The people who are seriously hurt by the lack of transit service are as invisible as most poor folks.

Transit users almost cheered Friday night when CAW Local 111 announced that it was recommending acceptance of the Vince Ready report for settlement. Within hours, Coast Mountain (controlled by TransLink) gave the bad news. The employer had rejected the proposed settlement.

The employer is the creation of a provincial statute. Premier Campbell cannot avoid taking responsibility for the actions of his former Vancouver Council colleague. In particular, he cannot avoid taking responsibility for a provincial statute whether it was first drafted by the NDP, the Socreds or the last Coalition government. The provincial government has the power to say enough is enough, but unlike the swift action to give disproportionate tax breaks to the high income brackets, the poor who rely on transit just don't have what it takes to get attention and action.