cap it

Lets put a stop to this crap. Lets say that no person working for the government who has an expense account doesn't get a yearly wage over $200,000. That includes premier spite (I heard grodo called that while standing in line at the grocery store and it fits so well)

If the wages were capped we would not have so many social problems.

I wonder how he feels to know you will go down in history as the most disliked leader in the province?

It is a mentality of entitlement.

After the liberals made ferries an "Authority" they created another almost private operations free from government oversight. It was sold on the basis that they were going to be more efficient (less cost). What has happened is that we hired an American, couldn't find any BC talent even among liberal cronies, and he runs this like his own little company. All of the top brass get top private sector salaries. There is no risk of losing their jobs no matter how poorly the economy or the "company" performs. They have the best of both worlds. In the new era of corporate privilege brought in by Campbell they are free to feed of the rest of us taxpayers living on less that a fifth of what these guys think they deserve. Greedy and obscene. To change it you need to turf the whole bunch of puppets as well as the puppet master Campbell.

Now We Know What is Meant by The Golden Decade

And we've got 3-1/2 more years.

http://www.straight.com/article-268649/bc-pushes-private-power

It's all very simple; next

It's all very simple; next year when Mr. Hahn's services are no longer required he'll get a compensation package that'll reflect his annual salary and bonuses. If I'm not mistaken, next year isn't his annual CEO salary and bonus pay scheduled to increase up to $1.6 million?

Mr. Hahn has been at BC

Mr. Hahn has been at BC Ferries helm since April of '03; In the CEO world that's along time. When his college buddy Gordo pulls the pin next year Sir David will be taking his leave too, but of course he has to be well compensated for his past efforts.

BC Ferries is not a public service.

BC Ferries was "privatized" years ago. Last year it reached the milestone trigger in its contract that allows it to realize up to 14% profit for its shareholders.

The executives don't have to answer to anyone except those shareholders, just like any other corporation, and as long as the company returns 14% on their investment the BC public can go twist in the wind.

Um... this IS the "free enterprise" that you elected Mr Campbell for wasn't it?

Yep he doesn't have to

Yep he doesn't have to answer to anyone but the shareholders, who just happen to be the tax payers of BC. If he was working for a similar sized private company his pay would be much less.

The irony is...

The irony is that if one lives on the Mainland then one has to use the aforementioned ferry system to go and voice one's displeasure at "our" Legislature in person. If we really want to change things then it's time to repatriate the Legislature back to New Westminster. Victoria is the only Provincial capital wherein the majority of the province's population can not get to the capital on public transit-- BC Ferries being a semi-private corporation. Folks it's up to us to change things, history doesn't stand still. Things can change.

In the words of Margaret Mead "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has".

Not Surprising

I wonder what people expected when they elected, directly or through inaction, and then refused to supervise, a government chock full of subclinical psychopaths.

Hahn is Campbell's buddy. Why would it be a problem for him to oversee himself? The deal was probably sealed with a handshake at the premier's office and a, "I know you wouldn't do anything I wouldn't!" Laughter ensued.

BC Ferries has been rotting

BC Ferries has been rotting my socks for too long. It has become something to loath use of. Everthing from the expensive prices, the long lines (avoided only by paying more for a reservation) to these money-grubbing ding-dongs who have taken us all for a ride.

Look at the Broad Patterns

People need to start looking at the broader patterns here. This BC Liberal administration has brought in an unprecedented number of "outsiders" to head newly created (back then) Authorities of various sorts. BC Ferry Authority just being one. They created 6 Health Authorities - 6 CEO's and full executives, infrastructure, several out of country appointees. MCFD's Deputy Minister from South Africa. She is stepping up the move toward regional Authorities. It hasn't gone as easily, or fast as it was supposed to.

One of the other broad patterns. Vast quantities of Crown lands disappearing into thin air. BC Ferries, BC Rail... privatization of infrastructure to American-based corporations...BC Hydro being kneecapped, now IPP's are about to be pushed forth with great vigor from everyone's favourite Oligarch. How many billions of taxpayer real estate, resources and funds have disappeared? Where have they gone and why is such a wealthy province slashing every damn service our previous generations spent their lives building and contributing their taxpayer dollars to have?

Each and every voter in BC needs to ask their MLA what has happened to our province and what have they done while it's been disappearing? Do these Liberal MLA's think things will somehow be different for them when they need services? Will their relatives have some magic wand to get services that are no longer there? Do these people not have parents, or relatives who've had services slashed. They are responsible. Let's be clear. The BC Liberals are destroying BC. Each and every one of them. If you ran under this banner you will be remembered for bringing shame to yourself, to your family and to your province. The Liberals are destroying BC openly, with psychopathic greed and abandon. And BC will pay for this for generations to come.

It is time for the People of BC to get real. This is our Province - built from our blood, sweat, labour and yes, tears. There are more of us, than there is of them. Let's remind our elected officials of this. Time to Reclaim BC.

From above, "Bond said she

From above, "Bond said she will consult with the stakeholders at B.C. Ferries and TransLink, as well as her cabinet colleagues, before deciding what to do."
The citizens of BC are the stakeholders of BC Ferries. I will not hold my breath waiting for Bond to ask for my opinion. She never did when she was chair of the PG School Board and she won't now. She will just take her orders from Gordo.

Poetician

Yes move the capital back to New West and give us our own Province. Separate all of BC past Hope and we will build a highway from Powell River to Lilooett so we don't have to darken the big smokes doorstep. This will cut off a lot of traffic in and out of the big smoke. Then maybe the rest of the province won't have to subsidize the home of corruption.

Your Wrong Bilgladstone

BC ferries is running deep in the red,they didn`t come close to that number for return on equity,in fact they didn`t make enough money to make their interest payments in the last fiscal quarter reported.

If your curious about BC ferries ever growing debt,,,Well read this..

http://powellriverpersuader.blogspot.com/2009/10/will-someone-please-send-bc-ferries.html

Cheers-Eyes Wide Open

Gulf Islands

Salty:

1) Bankrupt and privatize Ferries
2) Raise fares on Gulf Island routes until the only people that can afford to go there are wealthy holidayers _ forcing locals to sell out to rich individuals...or developers looking for places to build hotels.
3) Profit, but not for the people forced to sell at whatever price they can get, since they can't afford to live on an island on an average working person's wage and have to bail at the earliest opportunity.

Sound about right?

Grand theft

Excellent comments by everyone above. Gives one hope.

You make an outstanding point, bcliberals_suck, about the need for all of us to look at the big picture - at the number of outsiders given the controlling reigns of this province, and of the subsequent disappearing act of all our valuable assets and resources:

"How many billions of taxpayer real estate, resources and funds have disappeared? Where have they gone and why is such a wealthy province slashing every damn service our previous generations spent their lives building and contributing their taxpayer dollars to have?"

It's Not a Conspiracy Theory

"It's Not a Conspiracy Theory", just published by Donald Gutstein, is an explosive account of the Fraser Institute, CanWestGlobal and Canada's corrupt, right wing agenda. Mr. Hahn is a perfect example of the elites who unjustly pocket unfair salaries and benefits from a failed democracy.

http://www.straight.com/article-266343/gutsteins-theory-pries-lid-think-tanks

Highly worth reading. Great coverage Tyee!

Jeffrey J.

From the aforementioned book review:

I might take mild exception at the notion of Canucks being 'duped'. I think it is more a case of Canucks being ignored.
It goes something like this: FI says something, Canwest repeats it, Government picks it up and runs with it, which causes FI to research it, etc, etc. Something said often enough becomes fact, and no Canucks need be involved.

what jokes

What jokes these BC Liberals have been.

Cost over-runs:
Olympics(billions and billions), Richnmond skating oval(which is sinking into soil that cannot whold it), Convention Centre (nearly 1/2 $billion over budget), BC Place roof (at close to $600,000,000, now to cost twice the original bid).

Privatizing and selling jobs to corporations outside of the province and country:
Ministry of Ed. Records, ICBC records, Health records, Mental Health records, Ferries built in Germany rather than in our own world-class shipyards.

Selling off assets: BC Rail, BC Hydro, Run of River power, doubling shipment of whole logs while BC sawmills close.

Overpaying executives while meanspiritedly not honouring the workers/contracts who perfom the services we depend upon:
This has happened in virtually every Ministry but, ICBC, BC Ferries; BC Health; Paramedics; MLA, Deputy Minister, and ADM salaries are good examples that burst to mind. Directorships for former MLAs who were involved in deals selling off BC assets and/or taxing industries less.

Top government executives who simultaneously get paid by corporations looking for favours from Campbell.

Bloated Public Affairs Bureau complete with media monitors to tell us how great the government is taking care of us while cuts are being made to virtually every service we have - even in good times.

Lies about HST, Lies about BC Rail sale, Lies about the deficit. Death of salmon.

Yeah, The BC Liberals really know how to manage things - for themselves. What an absolute joke they have been; and what absolute jokes the voters that have thrice put them in office continue to be.

Getting real

One has to ask why Translink was born and why BC Ferries was made a private corporation. From my perspective it is very simple. Both entities have borrowing powers and are deeply in debt. The kicker is that the debt they possess does not appear on the provincial government's books. The downside is that they cannot borrow money as cheaply the provincial government.

For the current transportation minister invoking an audit of their performance is nothing more than an excercise in damage control. If excess staffing and/or excess renumeration is a problem, then the government should have been aware of this and dealt with it before now.

As the saying goes "you reap what you sow", and it looks as if the current government is in nothing more than damage control. Unfortunately it is the taxpayer that will foot the bill. At what point will the decision makers be held responsible for their decisions instead of the electorate that they supposedly represent. It must be nice being employed in a situation where you are absolved of all responsibility.

Regardless whether these

Regardless whether these obscene payments, like the Royal Bank's CEO's $42. million last year, are paid by governments, or the so called "private sector", they all come out of the same public's pockets.

At least, under public control there's a certain degree of accountability, but nobody is permitted to question the collectivization and stealing powers of mega corporations in the best Soviet tradition.

Ed Deak.

Palmer

Heard Vaughn Palmer say that there will be no roll back on BC ferries wages because they are doing such a wonderful job of running it. Yes they seem to desrve it according to him . Check it out on NW's audio vault.

Outsiders

bcliberals_suck, you have to look even more broadly. For example, back in the mid-1990s, BC Hydro CEO John Sheehan was preparing the utility for a free market in electricity. That never happened (Thankfully!!!), but part of that preparation was to bring into BC Hydro a lot of people from Alberta's PRIVATE electricity industry. The effects of this are still with us, in particular the fact that few of the senior execs are engineers. That part of the corporate culture needed to change anyway. However, a former BCH employee have told me the new paradigm was difficult in many ways. It seemed like the ascendance of management skills over technical understanding.

Revolution is the Solution

This just another example of how absolutely corrupt the Governments and Corporations of the world have become. In Canada, over the past 30 years they have slowly and systematically dismantled the majority of our social infrastructure and our ruined our international reputation as a peace loving nation.

Our so called Leaders are now so drunk with power they will take what little is left without shame or embarrassment, like stealing candy from baby.

Many times I’ve posted here stating we should vote for the NDP; they’re better than the alternative. Now I realize the only solution is revolution!

Revolutions usually put the

Revolutions usually put the biggest, murderous crooks into power. Endless historical precedents.

The only worthwhile revolution is a revolution of the minds, turning their backs. That's the kind ruling sectors fear most, because they can't fight it.

That's how the Soviets have been brought down. .

Ed Deak.

Orange Revolution

Actually I was thinking about the "Orange Revolution" in the Ukraine during 2004.

Lets hope we don't have to reach that level of political fraud before we decide to act.

The questions I ask myself are;

What specific event will finally unified the people to act against government?

and

Who will lead us?

According to CBC news.....

....the overpaid executives at BC Ferry Services Inc. are "fighting back" in defense of their bloated salaries...............

Turn away in mind and spirit. Turn your backs to them.

"The only worthwhile revolution is a revolution of the minds, turning their backs. That's the kind ruling sectors fear most, because they can't fight it."

I like that idea, Fiat lux. A policy of non-recognition.

I hear that the practice of turning your back on Gordo and crew has already begun. It just isn't being reported on by the buffoons in Big Media.

Real costs of ferry transport?

If we accept it as a given that the major factor in any transportation system is figuring out how much it costs to move X amount of weight/bulk (since that's how shipping costs are calculated AFAIK) and then ponder the BC Ferries reality that a single walk-on fare costs $13.50 and a driver and vehicle (some 15 to 20 times heavier) only costs $58.50 (four times as much) it certainly gives rise to some questions. Which is the more accurate reflection of the real cost of shipping people and vehicles across the Georgia Strait? A lot of interesting math to which I'm sure many BCers would love to know the answers, so that they can better judge the costs and benefits of the system. Then there's the extra charge for bikes, but the complete lack of facilities to rack or lock them. My own pet peeve to be sure, but increasingly there's lots of bikes on the ferry on popular sailings and it's a problem trying to find a place where your bike isn't blocking safety equipment or likely to fall over and hit someone's vehicle. Hardly the biggest problem BCF could be criticized for I know, but seriously, how tough is it to add a couple of bike racks somewhere on the car deck?

greed, grappling greed and other corruptions

So what's new a executive who pays himself boated salary as his own whim. Discouraging and disgusting and allowed. Isn't this what did our economy in just last year and still going on and on and on,,,,,

Ferry Commissioner

A good question not addressed in this article is, " Where is Martin Crilly, the Ferry Commissionar, in all this mess?"

This Liberal hack has done nothing but rubber stamp any decisions made by David Hahn. We are told he is to act in the public interest with regards to BC Ferries. Is there any indication of how much this cypher is being paid to, in effect, protect the over paid pooh bahs at BCF from the wrath of the over charged public?

hark, the herald angels sing ...

According to this TC article, one would have to believe that only David Hahn was capable of bringing salvation to the evil, publicly owned BC Ferry Empire. If he hadn’t descended from the heavens, the ferries would never be on time and building ships in BC would be impossible.

I guess Germany will be overjoyed to hear it's been annexed by fascists, once again.

http://www.timescolonist.com/Ferries+boss+dismisses+report+being+overpaid+nonsense/2205364/story.html

corruption, hypocrisy and poor service

In the eleven years I have lived on Vancouver Island and been dependent on the services of BC Ferries, I have watched as politics and little more has determined the quality of service and the costs as well. The services have invariably decreased, other than on board services and reservation systems for those with a great deal of extra cash to spend. For the regular customer of BC Ferries, the whole company has made a right turn to higher prices for us and lower services for us. Walk-on line ups. Hours long waits for non reserved trips. Breakdowns on critical weekends. Fewer services to smaller out of the way areas. And then we get to pay more for less, except that the CEO Hahn, the most condescending political appointee ever, gets to set his own pay at an outrageous amount for ruining what was once working just fine, serving ordinary people and employing people at living wages.

Does a higher level of arrogance mean that someone should be awarded higher pay? When are we going to stop our devotion to the ideology of privatization? It doesn't work, it is why the financial system is collapsing, and why the federal government is propping up our banks and housing market with loan coverages. It is going to fall and David Hahn will walk away laughing with our tax dollars, and we did nothing about it.

The question is

How many people have quit using the ferries? How many others could have done the job for far less? How long till the fiberals are thrown out?

This is an insult to those who are in need of medical help, a home etc etc

what improvements?

Mr. Hahn was on the morning news justifying his salary by making reference to all the "improvements" that have taken place while he's been at the helm. (Although he didn't actually offer any examples.) What has this man smoking? Fares have gone up, up and up, crew morale is rock bottom, passengers are subjected to no end of commercialization at the terminals, ships are being built off-shore, parking Nazis now patrol the terminals, the corporation is unresponsive to the needs and requests of the traveling public, the bureaucracy has grown like Topsy, the ferry corporation has consistently lied about the fuel efficiency and other problems related to the German built vessels and the corporation has consistently refused to acknowledge that it is a public service and part of the highway infrastructure. Some improvements Mr. Hahn--why don't you move back to the Excited States where you belong.

Huge B.C. ferry alaries.. why ?

Hiring an American to head up the corporation was a mistake,as we have plenty of Canadians that could handle the position with aplomb.
Absolutely, no one needs nor deserves a salary of over $200,000 per annum. No one.
The people who only get $8 per hour are the ones who need government help,to get at least $10 per hour for honest labour in our socuety in B.C.

Go David Go!

Hiring David Hahn was obviously a brilliant move. The ferries have improved. The return on investment is excellent and the even the service aboard is cheerful.

It's easy to say a million is lots of money but that is very short sighted and doesn't take into account other salaries in the private sector.

From Rafe Sunshine

Having trouble posting to the site, Rafe Sunshine sent the following and asked me to post it:

The response by Mr. David Hahn, CEO of the BC Ferries Corporation to the provincial Comptroller General's report on Mr. Hahn's enormous salary (over $1 Million per year) was both arrogant, but typical,of the kinds of officialdom this BC Liberal government is responsible for. Not only did he feel entitled to this, but he questioned the legitimacy and abilities of the Comptroller General to determine if his salary was out of line with similar public service CEO's compensation packages.

From the outset of the BC Lib's regime, their ideology of private enterprise, has championed the excesses of public service Crown operations (owned by the province) becoming Privatized-for-Profit operations the public must pay for (even though we pay for these services through our taxes).

Whether ICBC, our publicly-owned insurance company with re-sold crashed cars for profit; BC Lottery Corporation, that has never served anyone but itself in giving out too large a compensation package to its CEO, and too many bonuses (but fewer and fewer funds to hospitals, and other charitable organizations), while trapping thousands of individuals into gambling addictions; or Translink, whose service has become little more than an "old boys network" with expensive directorships, providing little direction for the Lower Mainland's transit vision. The provincial government is responsible for all these boondoggles, as much as the previous NDP was responsible for the "Fast Cat Ferries debacle". I won't even mention VANOC's spending excesses and the retractable roof for BC Place stadium.

The BC Libs have become the basic problem in our province with their attitude of entitlement as those who wield the public purse. Their arrogant, uncaring attitude is reflected by the man they chose to provide the BC Ferries services to the public. Mr. Hahn was in the airline business in the US and oversaw the demise of that airline company as its COO (Chief Operating Officer). With his arrogance and his corporation's monopoly in providing an essential service to Vancouver Island, maybe it's time the public bids farewell to this type of arrogance and entitlement in BC's public services (and governance).

CEO salary should be linked to usage

Fares are going up and the usage is going down. The new ferries are still breaking down every Thursday, just before a long weekend, which strongly suggests sabotage. Almost three years after one of their boats sinks, the public has no idea why it happened. The two passengers who drowned are still dead, last I heard and David Hahn is still stonewalling the issue.

The ferry system works fairly well but the new boats are too large to be economic. They were purchased to make a fashion statement, not to serve the need. In a booming summer season they are OK, but the number of winter sailings is being reduced. Executive salaries are being paid for by the public, who have no control whatsoever over the ferry corp. It stinks.

I cannot say for certain

I cannot say for certain what it is now but I have read that the head of the Washington State Ferries(3rd largest ferry system in the world) has a salary of about $141,000.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004166557_ferryboss06m.html

R/M old man....

Have they now? Got some backup for that? Didn't think so.

And while you are at it, Hahn was hired originally to "improve" ferry service. That was his job description, along with which came a salary that was NOT a million bucks. So, for simply doing his job, he gives himself a raise (and you needn't bother bringing up the yesmen of the board)?

My goodness!

Dear editor of this article

Please place my last comment in the best comments. It took me over an hour of searching to find that article, and I believe that the 2008 salary of $141,000 US for the head of the nearby but larger Washington State Ferries should be known by all British Columbians.

Cambell was mediocre, at best, when he was in private business; and he has been nothing but terrible at running the public business for the public good of our province.

corporate obscene wages and benefits and perks are THE scourge

So why are these greedy and ruinious morons still in office? Why is the majority not voting them out? Why is the majority doing squat-all? Are they so totally brainwashed? Illiterate and/or non-English-speaking? What is the reason the BC Libs got in and Harper continues to gain ground federally? It shouldn't matter WHO is the opposition, it has to be better than these rogues! It's like the majority is chosing the Big Bad Wolf by default, instead of voting for Li'l Red Riding Hood. Federally, though, you only have one choice: the NDP. No matter how milquetoast and centrist Jack Layton is, at least he's Canadian, pro-Canadian. I wish he would be more vehement about being on the side of the Working Class and honest and fair small businesses. I think more people have to join the NDP en masse and change the centrist blah-ness to activist progressiveness. What was wrong with JS Woodsworth's vision that it got watered down to soft capitalism?