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The NDP is making the BC Rail deal out to be more than it is

By Siavash Emamzadeh

owadays, I hear nothing but N« Rail-this and Kinsella-that.

Indeed, the NDP won’t give up until everybody knows about the controversy surrounding the BC Rail sale.

They’re accusing Liberal leader Gordon Campbell of rigging the sale of the provincially owned railway after suspecting that he sold BC Rail to CN as a favour to his friend, Patrick Kinsella. The accusation stems from the discovery that Kinsella was paid $300,000 from BC Rail during the bidding period and allegations that he simultaneously worked for CN, the ultimate buyer.

In light of this situation, NDP leader Carole James is convinced that Campbell is willing to jeopardize what’s best for the province in exchange for his friends’ satisfaction.

Should we share Carole James’s concern? To a degree, yes. Campbell’s backroom dealings in the BC Rail sale may indicate his indifference to the people of BC and foreshadow more dishonesty.

But then again, whether the deal

was rigged or not is still uncertain. All that’s really known at this point is that BC Rail was sold to CN, that Kinsella is a former Liberal and that he received $300,000 from BC Rail.

It’s true, though, that Kinsella’s denial to comment on the accusations is suspicious. But without concrete evidence, the NDP’s claims mean nothing.

Suppose though, that the allegations are true—at least to some extent. Does it really affect us? I don’t think so. The sale was completed in 2003 and whatever deceit Campbell possessed then has had six years to

fade away. After all, it was January of

the same year that he was convicted of drinking and driving in Hawaii and since then, he hasn’t made any similar mistakes.

Plus, since 2002, BC Rail has discontinued its passenger services, which mind you, ran through relatively remote areas like Prince George. Now BC Rail is devoted to transporting freight, which of course, does not really have a direct impact on us.

It’s no secret, though, that the NDP is using anything they can to belittle the Liberals—and vice versa; that’s

politics. But the urgency in the NDP’s attacks is a good indication of their insecurities.

They know Gordon Campbell’s track record when it comes to the economy. According to BC Stats, BC’s unemployment rate still remains below the national rate. As of March 2009, the national unemployment rate was 8 per cent, whereas BC’s rate was 7.4 per cent.

It is true, however, that the discrepancy between the national and BC unemployment rates has been narrowing. But with respect to the economy, is it really worth it to risk this employment advantage, if you will, by giving the NDP command of the government, especially in such a financially sensitive time?

A matter that should also weigh heavily in British Columbians’ minds

is the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. The Olympics always have a major impact on the host city’s tourism, transportation, air quality, safety and general serenity. With global warming and the recession the major issues

in today’s world, the Olympics will have double the impact come 2010 in Vancouver.

Indeed, the NDP, as I see it, is still marred from their humiliating defeat in 2001 where they won only two seats. Now, they’re overcompensating and it shows; they’ve repeatedly attacked the Liberals with little clarification as to what their own party is really set out to do. Sure, politics is known for the pettiness involved, but Carole James’s obsession with the BC Rail situation is just too much.

We need a viable third party in BC

f you’re

reading

this, there’s a very good chance that the provincial election is over and done with. Stories about candidates’ private Facebook photos and Carole James’ chronic complaining will have long since evaporated from the pages of the big dailies. With any luck, they'll still be gushing over the Canucks well into June.

So, how did the election make you

feel? Did you care? Why should you? These are the people in charge of your health, your driver’s license and to some degree, in charge of transit and more. If this is one of the highest posts in the land, why is it that these politicians and their

parties are so hard to stomach?

On one hand, we have Gordon Campbell, the bane of every left-leaning social activist. He is the epitome of the big business politics of shady wheeling (Google his drunk driving mug shot) and dealing (Let’s give ourselves a hefty raise, while keeping the working poor, poor). Then there’s Carole James and the NDP; the party that touts discrimination as progress with its “women only” ridings in Richmond.

That’s right; I didn’t call it “reverse” discrimination. It’s time to drop that qualifier, because discrimination is immoral no matter if you are male or female—at least that’s the way it should be. The great French Revolution was the first of many steps toward a merit-based society in Western civilization, where

people are esteemed based on their talents and actions. To proactively exclude an identifiable group from participating

in democracy based on something

they have absolutely no control over is clearly wrong. It’s an insult to British Columbians of both sexes. Apparently the BC NDP holds such a low opinion of women that they believe that they don’t have what it takes to succeed in politics without an unfair advantage. By the

way, Carole, a word about your rally at Broadway Station in the late stages of the campaign: next time, don’t hold it during rush hour. You clogged up the platform when commuters were trying to get to work. It’s hard enough as it is, but I have a hard time believing that either you or Gordon Campbell would know what it’s like. -

So if neither of these parties tickles your fancy, where can we turn? There needs to be a viable third party in this province. The two-party system in BC doesn’t cater well to moderates who like living life straight up the middle. The Green Party has yet to break out of the mould as a single issue party. Might I suggest a little re-branding? The environment can stil] be central to their platform but they need to steer clear of pigeon-holing themselves as enviro-crusaders —at least until trees get the vote. While they might appeal to basic moral sensibilities, people have a tendency to align with them in spirit rather than at the polls.