....Pay Private CN Rail To Do What The Previously Public BC Rail Used To?Why yes, I believe he did.
Ian Bailey on the G&M E-Blog has the story:
QUESNEL - Liberal Leader Gordon Campbell stepped up the campaign rhetoric today, spotlighting the NDP's forestry critic for reported comments that Americans are entitled to $500-million in damages because BC companies are manipulating stumpage.
Mr. Campbell's comments, in a rally for Cariboo North Liberal Bruce Ernst, were also notable for a rare twist - a new campaign promise.
Mr. Campbell said a re-elected Liberal government would build on a three-year $9-million program to build fencing for ranchers focused on protecting livestock along B.C. highways and railway corridors.......So.
Does that mean Mr. Campbell just gave CN Rail even more our treasure (ie. maybe half of that $9 million) to do something BC Rail used to do as a matter of course?
Gosh, I thought when we gave away our railway it became the private corporation's responsbility to be, well, you know, responsible.
All of which is weird because it is almost as if Mr. Campbell is trying to buy both his constituents' and his corporations' votes.
Which is even weirded because I didn't know that private corporations could actually vote.
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It turns out that this fencing issue is something that has been bugging folks that live and work along the privatized BC Rail line for some time.
And NDP MLA Charlie Wyse, sensibly I think, wants to make CN Rail pay.
Can't help but wonder if the Vancouver Sun feels that Mr. Wyse's position on corporate responsibility is economically 'irresponsible'?
After all, based on the VSun's editorial endorsement of Mr. Campbell earlier today, it wouldn't be unreasonable to suggest that the Editors' would likely conclude that it is irresponsible to do something that is in the public/not-corporate interest that might, even for a nanosecond, keep the trains from running on time.
Or some such thing.
Sheesh.
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No word yet if any non-lobbying 'consultants' were used to broker Mr. Campbell's sweetheart deal with the RailCo's.
Image at top of post from the magnificent 'Traingeek' site.
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