When B.C. Ferry Services Inc. holds a public meeting in Prince Rupert in a couple weeks it will be at a hotel owned by a B.C. Ferries board member.
On Nov. 30 B.C. Ferries will host a public consultation to discuss a proposed Inside Passage route from Tsawwassen to Prince Rupert. The company will pay $300 to rent the British Columbia Room at the city's Crest Hotel for the two-hour meeting.
Stephen Smith is the president and CEO of the company that owns and operates the Crest, one of several hotels in the north coast city. He is also a director on the boards of both the B.C. Ferry Authority and B.C. Ferry Services Inc..
When the Tyee reached Smith by phone he said he was on another line and would call back, but by publication time several hours later he had not.
In a recently released review of B.C. Ferries and TransLink, the provincial government's comptroller general Cheryl Wenezenki-Yolland raised concerns about accountability and conflict of interest at the ferry company. Board members are paid up to $91,000 a year, which is more than would be expected, she said, noting they decide their own pay.
“The optics may seem off a bit,” said New Democratic Party ferry critic Gary Coons in an e-mail. “It appears that BCFS still doesn't take seriously the 'inherent conflicts' that the [comptroller general] pointed out or the possibility of 'perceived' conflicts.”
Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.
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zalm
2 years ago
The problem?
I've a hard time with this one - the Crest is the best of a small bunch in Rupert, and I freely admit when I was dealing in Operating Engineers' business on the island I'd make sure to stay at their Coast Nanaimo, especially if I had bills to submit. I deal in relationships, and I expect that others should too, although those relationship should be transparent.
Thoughts?
Skywalker
2 years ago
Maybe it is Zalm but...
...don't you think it would have been prudent to find another Hotel. Prince Rupert does have more than the Crest. The problem is that these guys all think it's OK when you are liberals. If the public finds it a little distasteful, then the public be damned.
Ramona777
2 years ago
No Where Else?
I'm sure Prince Rupert has other facilities -- a school, city hall, Legion, where a two-hour meeting could be staged.
That's the problem with people earning a million, or even $91,000. They need the perks, the extras, the pampering they've become accustomed to.
A chilly hall with generic coffee just doesn't cut it for high rollers.
DPL
2 years ago
Heck if you can't slip some
Heck if you can't slip some business to one of your own, why take a job, seems to be the attitude. And of couse the directors all pull in a pretty good wage, but why not be a bit greedy if you can get away with it?
zalm
2 years ago
Well, I know, I know....
...'m not saying the optics don't look bad - they do. But I've done it as a union member to a union-owned hotel. Bad? I don't think so. So what's the difference?
And depending on what this guy is like, he might be cutting a deal to the Corp. Most hotels get you the room at a discount but nickel-and-dime you on everything from a pot of coffee to start the day to flip charts and housekeeping detail, so your room might end up costing twice as much. You never can tell - maybe he's arranged that all-in.
I'm put in mind of one of the wife's family members who owns a hotel in Europe. He often invites family events to occur there because he can pick up the tab for the room and food and let the family's funds go for other important things like various charitable works that the family's engaged in around the world.
The eyes may see evil where the heart is pure....
Tahsis Tattler
2 years ago
B.C.Ferries
Want to bet they don't get there by ferry! I am willing to bet that they don't pay $35 a head for the forward lounge on the new ferry to Prince Rupert either even though it might be cheaper than the Crest if there are less than 10 people.
Van Isle
2 years ago
I haven't been to Rupert in
I haven't been to Rupert in years but I do remember it being a small town. That being said I wonder if there's another facility big enough with catering services to conduct a public info meeting. Oh, Zalm about your comment about unions having meetings in union owned hotels; I haven't come across a union owned hotel yet but lots of hotels that have unionized workers though.
crankypants
2 years ago
Pile of crap
This is nothing more than someone lining his own pockets. It's bad enough they award themselves exorbitant salaries, they rub the taxpayers' nose in it by using their powers to syphon a little bit more feed their own. This is nothing more than shameful and if the provincial government had an ounce of decency, they would fire the whole board and rescind the privitization of BC Ferries. We do not need anymore pigs at the trough.