Falcon Derailed

November 4, 2005

Falcon Derailed

Too long in power makes many governments become arrogant. The Campbell government may have started out that way partly as a result of its initial 77-2 majority and partly because of the personal style of the Premier. Losing 30 seats in the 2005 election should have been a humbling experience that offered lessons, but Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon, one of Campbell's closest allies, demonstrated in question period on November 3rd that nothing has been learned.

The Official Opposition focused its full half hour of questions on Falcon over changes that have happened since CN purchased BC Rail. Falcon alleged that previous governments politically interfered in the railway system. NDP Leader Carole James said: "I don't think we're talking about interference here. We're talking about whether the minister and government are going to stand up for citizens." Falcon doesn't get it; instead of being advocates for their constituents, he and his colleagues have turned into apologists for CN. Their history in giving BC Rail to CN and accepting political contributions from CN, makes it look all the worse for the Campbell government.

Falcon produced a letter sent by BC Rail to a landowner in 2000 asking for a share of the costs for upgrading a level crossing. He attempted to generalize from that and argue that nothing has changed after the sale to CN except for whether or not the bills are collected. The NDP was prepared for that response; Bob Simpson, MLA for Cariboo-North, said:

"I wonder why the Railway Act was changed and why CN is now asking all of these private rail crossing holders to upgrade to federal standards. That's the issue here. It's not the old obligations under the Railway Act for private crossings. It's the fact that all of the private crossing holders are now being asked to come up to federal standards - that's new."

"All of the private crossing holders have been asked to pick up liability insurance - that's new. All of the private crossing holders have been asked to pay an annual administration fee - that's new. All of those things are a result of the sale of B.C. Rail to CN and the fact that it now is federal standards. That's new. That's different."

Falcon took up the challenge and instead of accepting Simpson's suggestion to contact all landowners who are having problems with CN; he argued that the whole issue comes down to public safety. Once again he missed the opportunity to be a champion for citizens while sounding like the public relations flack for CN. When the Campbell government negotiated the sale to CN it protected itself against future costs and liability, but it failed to protect ordinary citizens. It would have been easy for government to include protection in the contract with CN so that costs would not be shifted from the railway to its neighbours. Having failed in that task, the government could at least use its influence to get CN to back-off and behave like a responsible corporate citizen. That's not likely to happen given the cozy relationship that has been demonstrated between CN and the government, and with the attitude that was displayed by BC's Minister of Transportation.