I would not consider the former BCR as a model corporate citizen, but they did seem to have a lot more experience running freight in BC than CN. I suspect a big problem is that the corporate headquarters back east, is overriding the concerns of local management and telling them how to run it and not listening to local advice. Very few of the people in the field have changed, so the large increase in accidents lands squarely on the shoulders of senior management. I wonder if CN is self insured or uses a insurance company, if so I suspect their premiums are going up quickly.

Mcdull

The difference is that CN is federal regulated as opposed to BCR that was Provincially regulated.

A major issue brought up by a lot of senior ex-BCR employees about CN is that they make no allowances for the technical difficulties and differences in terrain and trackage between here and the rest of Canada, and in fact cut back on staff experienced in dealing with BC conditions. BC's railway tracks have sharp curves, bridges, mountain crossings and steep grades, as well as frequent extreme environmental challenges (avalanche, fires, extreme weather). Common sense and basic physics tells you that you can't run many many tons of heavily loaded freight cars in a long train at the same speed in BC as you do in the prairies/back East, where the majority of the land is flat. It's asking for a disaster, and CN is getting them.

Rhea
I suspect that basic physics is not part of your average accountant's training.

CN took control of BCRail by shifts and spins, deals and counter-deals, which will (at long last) come before the B.C. Supreme Court in April ...

... so let's see: if it's proven that the deal itself was fraudulent, does it follow that the legal ownership reverts to the people of British Columbia?

interesting that we look at these things one by one,as they are presented.instead of the totality of the ethos that puts these issues at our doorstep.

PRIVATIZATION & SELLING OFF OUR RESOURCES !

this is the handiwork of the Campbell ideologues.
sell,look good with all that money to flash around and screw the consequences.

look at the highways maintenance problems,look at this article and wonder next time if your safety is more important than the liberal party's doublespeak and worth the shell games that the foist upon us.

an entity like CN is too huge and faceless to care about your safety,they care only for the bottom line...like Campbell,et al.

Let us not forget that Railways are a Federal responsibility.

So send your notes to the Federal Transportation MInister and scream for some bloody action.

sdgreen - always the lackey for Gordo & co.

When CN took ove BC Rail, they rid themselves of the collective expeience of local management. Campbell & Co. will never force CN to do anything, for fear that the BC Rail give-away was nothing more than graft!

BC has been cheated by Campbell, Falcon, et al, with the BC Rail giv-a-way, and any accident by CN will be covered up.

If a state doesn't own or protect it's own transportation, it's doomed to die.

The Campbell lackeys will work overtime to try to put a positive spin on one of the most infamous actions in BC history - the BC Rail giv-a-way to CN!

In my old neighborhood in Brackendale the cn, 120 car/60 mph de-rail special used to screech past at all hours of the early morning. (the same train which eventually derailed about 10 clicks down the line into the Chekamus River, blighting it for 50 years)
My apartment was atleast 250 meters from the tracks but a lot of houses in that neighborhood were right NEXT to the tracks!!
Plus the tracks were curved and there are lots of minimally marked rural crossings.
Anyhow it would wake me up cuz it made my whole apartment building shake and as for those people right next to the tracks..well I guess their probably happy each day they get to see the sun rise.
If one of those high-ball, fully loaded specials ever loses it there, theres going to be a lot of fatality's. And this time it won't be fish either.

As noted above, these concerns should be directed to the Transportation Safety Board, Transport Canada and the Minister of Transport. They oversee the operation of federally regulated railways in Canada.

Part of the problem is that the regulatory environment has been weakened over the years to the extent that the railways have become "self-regulators". They have successfully undermined the regulatory environment through legislation and through the application for countless exemptions to the regulations.

Another problem is that Canadian National Railways, for example, is no longer a Canadian Company in anything other than name. It is now, for all intents and purposes, an American multinational operating in Canada.

I'll leave it for you to judge, based on recent developments, whether the same conscience exists in terms of their concerns for the environment, public safety and the well-being of their employees as was the case in the good old days when they were a Canadian Company.

Write your MP!!

thomas49 wrote:

PRIVATIZATION & SELLING OFF OUR RESOURCES !

this is the handiwork of the Campbell ideologues.
sell,look good with all that money to flash around and screw the consequences.

So if the trial of Basi, Virk, and Basi should prove that the sale of BCRail to CN was fraudulent ... do you think this means that the whole deal collapses ... and legal ownership of BCRail reverts to the people of B.C.?

Or will it be more like the sale of BC Timber Licences by W.A.C. Bennett's Ministry of Forests -- proven fraudulent when Robert Sommers stood trial -- but which are still deemed a legitimate transfer of rights?

Of course, CN is acting in the interest of "efficiency, to maintain its competitive equilibrium on the global marketplace"

In other words, to create wealth by making higher profits and increase the share values of their investors on the stockmarkets.

As our rightwingnuts can tell us, nothing else matters and if we don't like it, we can go back to Russia. Their favourite expression of logic.

Ed Deak, Big Lake.

Andru;

Great article, I can envision what you saw, and the mental picture of the potential environmental damage, if this train been carrying dangerous commodities, instead of grain. I saw the damage that happened, in the Mississauga wreck, luckily, there was no direct loss of life from that one. I live on this particular watershed, the waters of the North Thompson eventually go right by my house, and it is from these waters that numerous communities get their water supply. Had your hypothesis been the case, what would these communities have done, with such potential damage, to their water supply?

Sulphur, as a solid, pettetized, product, is deemed to be so safe that there are no regulations to it's handling. Having said that, there are concerns about what should happen, if one of these should catch on fire. Although these incidents are uncommon, they can and do happen, I've personally handled burning cars, on two occasions, and I am only one individual.

As an employee, I do know that the "heat" of public dissent is having it's effect. CN management do no like to see it's good name drug through the press, tabloid style, but, in all fairness, these things do happen. To alleviate these situations, maintenance budgets have been increased, quite substantially, and inspections are improving as well. But, I suspect that we will see more derailments, it's part of the business, hopefully the Ministry of Transportation (Federal) will remain diligent on their inspections, to keep the bottom line thinkers in check.

Rhea;

You are correct, as were the former BCR'ers, about the differences in terrain that CN is now facing, as compared to their "mainline" style of railroading. Under BCR management, the derailments were less, per ton mile, than has happened since CN has taken over, for this reason Transport Canada did issue restrictions to their method of handling trains, most specifically in the Cheakamus Canyon area, through to the end of the 2% grade area, north of Lillooet. To be fair to CN management, they have had supervisors riding these Northbound trains, those most susceptible to derailments, and their "in field" observations have had a positive effect on upper managment.

BC Mary;

"so let's see: if it's proven that the deal itself was fraudulent, does it follow that the legal ownership reverts to the people of British Columbia?"

Oh, if only that were true. Sadly, the deal will stand, whether there were improprities by the political hackies or not. I know you are interested in who did what, in the matter of Basi, Virk, et al, but I, for one, would like to see the uncensored document, which allowed the transfer of ownership. Only with a change in government will we ever have the ability to see those documents.

thomas49;

I wish I could say this particular derailment was because of Campbell & Co., but it was on the "mainline", not part of the former BCR properties, so Gordo & his ilk are off the hook on this one. But, I am in total agreement on how this regime is selling off the Provincial assets, so they have cash to spend, and make themselves look good. What will they do, when the assets are gone, and income from them are no longer coming in?

All in all, the public outcry over these derailments is having it's effect, letters to the local papers are, at times, picked up by the larger ones, and printed. Presentations to local city and regional councils are pressuring the elected officials to make more stringent demands on these railroads, to spend more on safety improvements, and the results are promising. Because this derailment, as shown in the North Thompson, had little or no environmental damage, it will receive little or no interest from the mainstream media, whereas the Wabamum and Cheakamus derailments , with their adverse impacts on the environment, got more press. But, Andru is right, it could have just as easily been one of their "bomb" trains, laden with dangerous commodities.

Don F.

don f ,your last sentence concerning dangerous commodities ,was what i was getting at with my statement.

the ethos behind these sell offs is held by politicians that will never be endangered.those sell offs while not directly putting me in danger now ,might put you in danger.the derailment mentioned in the article may be federal,but the mentality is the same.sell off what you can and then overwork what you have to make HUMONGOUS PROFIT...or so it seems.when the provincial govt. sold off bc rail ,it sold off it's/our responsibility to any safety issues,so now when the feds are responsible how close are the rules followed when ottawa is the policing agency and is your safety really important to some burecrat in ottawa.

now you have trains that are of a size that anywhere else,sane policing would say,no too RISKY.but because of the ETHOS ,we are looking and saying ,yes RISKY,but we could do this if we did it carefully.THE DOMINO EFFECT !

so selling off looks good to the right wingers because it's a quick fix...in the long run though we have,court actions,environmental disasters ,all make work programs in the minds of the Right and morally and ethically repugnant to all else.

the sell off of resources is nothing but trouble for our children...instead of the legacy it should be in their hands.

are you going to leave your childs inheritance to a stranger ?

the right wing will...just look around at who owns what in our country...

I agree with Thomas49. It is pure and simple capitalist "market think" which disregards the "public interest", starting with the sale of this public asset by the NeoconLibs to that much ballyhooed "Corporate" private sector the wingnuts all fall over themselves apologising and cheerleading for here that is at the root of this problem. and which Fait Lux describes quite well enough in his wee piece below.

And for more "private sector" apologetics, see sdgreen's shallow protestations and attempt to obfuscate.

When he well knows that it was until recently a "public" BC Asset, responsidle to us all, which his much loved Neoconazi Libs sold off in advancement of the cause of "privatizing" to their "rich friends", the entire public stake and means of influencing and controlling this purely "profit driven" sectors excesses. Such as we see the consequence of, here in these derailments.

And c'mon greenie, complaining about this now to the Feds, where we have the Tweedle-dee Harpo to this NeoconLiberal drunken Tweedle-dum set of the same ruling class "privatized" interests at the helm, is like inviting the fox in to sort out the chickens. Get real.

More of your transparent attempts to obfuscate where your "market symp" apologetics cannot but fail, and fall upon deaf ears.

Thomas49 has the problem more correctly addressed and in focus.

Our US Empire Loyalists here continue to attempt to stand current BC AND Canadian politics and economics on their head and have them walk on their hands, and make it all appear as progress, and declare it the way of the future.

Only if we believe in fairy tales, and are not paying attention.

Interesting how many of today's burning issues boil down to the war between corporations and citizens.
If it pays, the Neoconazi thinks it's a good thing. If it's a public good, the Neoconazi knows it's a bad thing. Corporations get bigger, citizens get left behind.

E.g., tons of money get spent on Cures for cancer, treatment for cancer, palliative care for cancer patients. Only 10% is spent on prevention, while cancer is reaching epidemic proportions. Why? As one leading Big Pharma-exec. said, "There's no 'product' for cancer prevention." No product, no profit.

So wouldn't it follow that Big Pharma wouldn't want their markets eradicated ... as in wouldn't want cancer to be eradicated? Or AIDS? Or hypertension and high cholesterol? Or even ... fairness under the law?

In a way, I see the upcoming trial of David Basi, Bobby Virk, and Aneal Basi as something like the corporate CN vs the people of British Columbia.

I was hoping that someone versed in law would pick up on the theme of BC Rail as a fraudulent deal. Let's assume (for the moment, and only for the sake of discussion) that crimes were committed against the people of British Columbia in order to "sell" BCRail to CNRail.

Let's assume that the instigators and manipulators are found guilty of felonies. How is it possible that their handiwork could be granted the official cloak of legality? On what grounds? It's not a law that most citizens live by.

It happened in the Robert Sommers case, but that was then (circa 1958) and this is now. Could such a transfer of a public asset (Timber Licences), in return for bribes to the Minister of Forests, happen again today, with an asset such as BCRail? And if it is considered OK, why did the BC Govt step in to halt the sale of Roberts Bank before it, too, went the same route?

If all this fancy footwork is allowed to enrich a corporation while robbing the public, doesn't it prove that crime pays? Is there a further remedy?

Please don't pretend valour by suggesting that I don't understand how the big boys operate. I'm one of those citizens who needs to know the truth about why we lost BC Rail ... and someday, BC Ferries, BC Hydro, and all those other things established by W.A.C. Bennett. I don't need to prove anything else but that.

This BC Rail issue with Basi & Virk can so easily go either way: clear the air of B.C., or poison it forever.

It's one train wreck which IMO doesn't need to happen, if somebody will grab that whistle and crank it up hard. Soon.

like many i dont like to suppose.

and this is one of those Gordian Knots that take time and effort just to explain half a$$ed,let alone in detail.

look through legislation of good governance and all that entails resources.it's a QUAGMIRE !now pretend you are a lawyer,now pretend you got REALLY DEEP POCKETS and pretend you are the ultimate canadian citizen,i mean really,really ,GUNG HO !

10 times outta 10 you are going to say...if i get LUCKY,if the MONEY don't run out,if i can find a LOOPHOLE,if i can do this,if i can do that...IT'S A GORDIAN KNOT...there is no known solution other than an ALEXANDRIAN SOLUTION

and that is to find a totally new way to beat the bastards at their own game...they tied the knot and we have to figure out how to unravel it or cut it(alexandrian solution)

and that's why today we have those creeps CHANGING LEGISLATION every five minutes to screw us over legally.just look at the legal challenges on the issues you stated.

thomas49, thanks ... but if Osgoode Hall can develop lawyers willing to try to stop the invasion of Iraq and/or charge George W. Bush, then B.C. can surely find a few lawyers willing to rescue BC Rail. You can't be saying that BC Lawyers have been outranked and outwitted?

Or, we can push the question in another direction, reducing the issue to terms which have worked in a different situation. Is there no circumstance in which corruption itself has so thwarted the law that destroyed its legitimacy? If not, I think criminals should throw away their guns and go into Law School.

Or we can look for a "totally new way to beat the bastards at their own game..." which means getting a look at the documents covering the sale itself. Not possible, I suppose, until after the trial opens.

I have often felt that Basi and Virk themselves are the answer we hope for. They know -- better than anybody -- how that BC Rail deal went down. What incentive is there, for them to co-operate with the people of BC to either explain the deal, defend the deal, or to tear it down completely.

Thomas49, how about writing An Open Letter to Basi & Virk explaining this option which might save their reputations and B.C. Rail as well. Yes, I really do believe that there is goodness in people which, when touched, comes forth to meet the need.

Plus, I really hate hearing how "Nothing can be done!" Or "It's too complex for tiny minds like ours!"

BC Mary:
Like your posts. :-)
Off topic, but I hear Ken Dryden is running.

the sword in the stone,king arthur.the gordian knot,alexander the great...

these examples of complex problems that were somehow solved by ordinary minds are what drives the ego to succeed.they point out in the masses out there is our new leader.the one who will not only solve this problem but all others.we have but to wait for his/her deliverance.

so it wasn't saying ,it's too complex or nothing can be done.RATHER...someone has to come up with the solution and therein lies the problem .

someone has to shoulder this BURDEN and there aren't to many out there willing to do a heavy chore like this by themselves,this takes a lot of support and people have to be knowledgable.
i won't even go into the monetary aspect !
DEEP POCKETS would be an asset though.

every time they change legislation,they put another BRICK IN THE WALL

so who is going to be willing to spend unlimited time and money to fight a corrupt government who says selling off our infrastructure is a good move,especially when we didn't sell off our infrastructure,we just sold of the service.

that last statement is the kind of nonsense lawyers will fight over for years,who is going to pay these people...you and me ,we and us,that's who.

and i don't think any burecrat or politician ever worries about their reputation,ask emer$on

there has to be someone with the initiative and the drive.

you heard about terry fox,rick hansen...so you know what i mean...someone with DRIVE .

someone who would be king!

that's what those stories are about...leadership

Thomas49: how about that Open Letter to Basi & Virk -- to start the ball rolling? I think you'd write a good one. Besides, we can't afford to wait for deliverance. Been there, did that, it didn't work.

regarding an open letter ,if you have an idea ,EXECUTE IT.

i have personally dealt with gordon campbell judith read,that weasel paul reitsma at one time or another.

these people are professional disemblers and they get their underlings to do their DIRTIEST WORK.so if you think that a letter is going to influence people who have no conscience,write it.

remember that the two you mentioned asked for trial by JUDGE...that means it is closed to the public and no jury.which puts everything into the magistrates hands and if they get/have the right judge ,well lets leave that to the imagination shall we.so are they betting on GETTING OFF ?

i would say so.

the deal making going on behind closed doors is going to make history and the drug charges are the only things of real consequence.

so it's not writ in stone,but one is free,one is jailed for a short period(for drugs)

anyone with a better take...enlighten me/us

You know that I always admire your pluck, BC Mary.

But for life, even political life, to emerge and flourish, and it is terrible to have to concede it I agree, there are particular preconditions required. I think talking/writing here and elsewhere helps, wherever people can communicate, writing letters and "all that stuff", but these things in and of themselves, I think, are clearly not enough and a bit like pissing into the wind.

There is such an objective thing as a "time of opportunity" and change, and while that is occurring, still largely on the surface of it in all the wrong directions and content, with the ruling class and their neoconazi minions holding the initiative, the very foundations of the post war society and its important social, political and economics gains for ordinary folks are all being undone as part of that. So clearly a sea change is occurring in society and the underpinning economy, but in my view of things, it is all still not yet apparently in a place giving rise to that multitude of "new life forms" and pressure cooker level ready to explode precondition that is absolutely critical.

None of us likes to hear that here. I do not even like to think or feel it. But like many other things that have occurred in all our lives, much of it really doesn't give a shite about who thinks or feels what, it evolves and happens its own merry way in any case.

I think matters on the left or "progressive change" side of things is going to continue plugging along, more or less the way it is, for some time yet. And as old and increasingly crotchety as I am, I too would still like the opportunity to participate in a time of serious, progressively meaningful and radical social change. I am not so far removed from the ideals and energy of my youth as that... yet. :-)

Meanwhile, that pressure cooker thing out there in society does need to build, clearly more yet , and movements of rage begin to rise spontaneously that is an essential precondition, and the marker of a sea change having occurred in the way ordinary people see and participate in their world. It does have to hit home with more that just me, thee, and the ragtag, disparate band of "merry men and gals" here on Tyee, and the handful of other radical places in our wee universe.

(At our Labour Council meeting here the other evening, it was reported that "organizing opportunities and efforts" are seriously languishing/ in decline", which means Labour continues to weaken and decline in numbers and influence. (While Georgetti hosts wine and cheese level lobbying parties with MPs in Ottawa. "Boldly taking Labour in a new direction.") That's an "objective" and not "subjective" thing/condition. And that is destined to have a huge impact on every working person out there, whether they are organized, or knowingly or unknowingly "riding on the coat-tails" of the trade union movement to move forward economically and otherwise.)

Continued next post...

From previous post...

The point being, the pressure within the cooker is continuing to build, and will produce its inevitable result, and it is the Neoconazis applying the heat themselves and doing the work for us, in many important regards. It is they who are and will produce the sea change we require for "our" radicalized capacity to exist and enter big time into the food chain of the social order in decline.

That it moves at its own pace and in its own good time is a frustration, no doubt. But things do not exist in particular to please us.

Which is another piss off.

We will all know when the opportunity exists and it is time for us to move, I think. It will be inescapable, for us and the larger social class milieu in which most of us are rooted. That, or that which is and increasingly worse is all there will ever be. Which I cannot believe.

Meanwhile, we need to continue reaching out, and staying in contact-, and exerting such influence as we can. In my read of it. (And all these rightwingnutters would not be here, attempting to disrupt and side track, if they did not fear that we are exerting an influence on their little world.)

Wishing doesn't make anything come true. Only existing and objective preconditions for it. 8-D

And ya know I love ya, Mary. And feel yer pain. :-)

Very interesting story , i just want to put my 2 cents worth.

As an ex railroader, having worked for CN and also for USA companies involved in rail testing ( finding flaws in the rail itself ) across North America, i have seen the change in operating procedures since CN was sold as a private company.

The first change was the operating budgets for the company, maintenance was slashed, since it cost lots of money doing repairs and replacement for track maintenance.

Before CN was a government agency, there was a 5 men crew located every 10 to 15 miles along the railway tracks across Canada, no matter the class of tracks, since the tracks are classified as class 1,2,3, one being the fastest speed and in better condition.

After CN was sold, management realized that by cutting the numbers of employees and redistributing the people every 100 miles or so with a crew of five to six people, copied on the US system , where they have accessible roads near the railways unlike Canada, lots of money could be saved by reducing jobs by the thousands , retiring and abolishing jobs across the system.

So, maintenance started suffering,then budgets were cuts by million of dollars, meaning rail that need to be replaced was now still in service, railroad engineers reclassifying the wear of the rail to a lower standard, affecting the whole system but not reducing the speed, no tie change renewal,etc, so profits rised in the millions every year and all the shareholders are getting their money worth.

If you live between Toronto and Montreal, the Via Rail passenger, is allowed to travel at 105 MPH, very fast indeed , they would like to go faster but Transport Canada has limited the speed at 105 MPH.

To be continued...

Thank you

in the above posts you read of the effects upon the system,we/govt./big business,are setting up the DOMINOS and when the stressors are peaked then we will have a collapse.the DOMINO EFFECT!

we are a species that acts...after something goes wrong...because of our scientists wanting EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE,and those scientists are not working in our favour.

unless you are talking of our esteemed dr.suzuki and other conscientious scientists who treasure this precious resource we call earth.

as coyote said,the time will come...but that sounds so DOOMSDAY and lefty doesnt it...

but it's better than "winners wave cash,losers wave their fists.

the time will come and they can wave all the cash they want,because it won't be worth squat and our fists will be beating the drums to usher in a new age.

look at history,the powerful always fall on their swords.

it's the common man/woman that rebuilds the societies by the sweat of our brows .

A few ideas.

1. Maybe the role of Transport Canada could be expanded to include an investigation with public recommendations as to what happened, and how it can be prevented in the future. When an airplane crashes, the agency does an outstanding of putting the pieces back together, surely we can do the same with these derailments.

2 It is time for some heavy, per incident fines. Nothing seems to grab the attention of the bean counters more than some large financial penalties when incidents such as this occur. Basically, the fines should be large enough that companies cannot afford to have them. In other words, spend more time finding preventative solutions.

3 It is not just trains. There has been a huge increase in tractor trailer units over-turning as well – generally because drivers are going to fast. In every case the public is put at risk, in some cases the environment, and public services are always consumed cleaning up the accident, often at the inconvenience and expense of the public, while the driver walks away with either nothing, or a small fine from a driving infraction. Likewise, the Transport Company simply pays an insurance deductible. It is time this situation is also resolved.

Last point. Not everything in life has to be about politics and pointing fingers. More time should be spent finding some solutions instead of placing blame based on political agendas.

Whistle
Not only at the level of track and roadbed maintenance has there been big changes at CN since it went private. I'm sure you're also familiar with the cuts to car and motive power maintenance and repair at CN shops all across the country.

One of the biggest tragedies was the loss of experienced, on-the-job trained, dedicated personnel who took CN's buyout offers and retired early. Leaving behind, alas, a staff with little of the expertise and even less of the commitment needed to run a safe and reliable railway. Profitability and shareholder value is, as always, a double-edged sword.

This is what I meant. thomas49 produced a series of reasons why we can't do anything; I proposed that he write an An Open Letter to Basi & Virk in which he turns a constructive light on what can be done -- or rather, what Basi & Virk could do -- to clear the air in British Columbia. Perhaps even salvage their reputations. This is "exerting such influence as we can" at a time which is right -- now -- in the lead-up to the trial.

Granted, this is a baby step. But given how largely forgotten is the issue of why the RCMP raided the BC Legislature on 28 Dec 2003, I think the time is precisely right for getting this discussion started.

i have personally dealt with gordon campbell judith read,that weasel paul reitsma at one time or another.

these people are professional disemblers and they get their underlings to do their DIRTIEST WORK.so if you think that a letter is going to influence people who have no conscience,write it.

t-49, YOU write that open letter please. Address it to David Basi & Bob Virk. Post it here, on-line. You obviously have a ton of background experience and information to call upon. I've suggested the subject line for your letter: how divulging all they know about the "sale" of BC Rail could rehabilitate their reputations as it clears the air over British Columbia. These guys are young, ambitious, undoubtedly smart, with a keen eye for the deal. Why wouldn't they listen? (And why wouldn't the BC public reach out to them, I ask you?)

But write to Gordo? Influence Gordo? Puh-leeze.

Indeed, it does. But there just doesn't seem to be any way of avoiding that. 8-D lol

My experience is, and others may have other, that life insists at moving at its own pace, and not one I might wish to set for it. Mary and I are clearly too impatient. :-)

Enjoyed your piece Whistle, and am looking forward to another installment.

Your central observation is the flip side of the "privatizing coin" which our apologists and champions for it here would have us ignore. Indeed, it is at root the explanation for the degradation in all systems being "privatized" currently working its way through the entire economy, but especially the previously "public interest" sector, as these now private interests seek to "squeeze" out bottom line "stockholder benefit" over and regardless of the public interes, from these assetst.

It is the observation that puts the lie to the Sacred Private Enterprise God before which all are now being called upon and required to bow down, pray, and offer up their worldly goods.

It is a critical part of the dynamic now changing that "sea" in which we all swim amd depend for our sustainance, and many are beginning to flounder and turn belly up. And as regrettable as it is, it really does seem to have to run its natural course and works its motivating effect up people.Sometimes it is simply just true that things have to get worse, and not infrequently much worse, before there is the chance emerge of it getting better. Sad but true.

The madness at the heart of the Neoconazi view of social and economic theory meeds to be made completely obvious and inescapable to one and all.

HATE TO SAY IT ,BUT THE DEAL IS DONE !

these two have already made what deals they are going to make.the only matter left is how much they are going to pay for their incompetence.

look at paul reitsmas little fiasco in parksville do you see him in the liberal party ?
and that was just making up lies,fabrications.

these guys are finished.DRUGS for one .influence peddling for the both.they are TOAST !GORDO WANTS A CLEAN IMAGE.i remember what he said and how swift he acted with reitsmas,remember he took over the seat til judith reid was voted in.or rather campbells FLUNKIES took over any constituency issues.campbell just looked good making the moves.

regardless,these two will never be PARTY people again.they are doing nothing more than waiting for the FARCE to continue.

as i said,it aint writ in stone,but you can bet the influence peddling will be LIGHTLY dealt with(they are both first offenders) and the drug charge in this permissive society will probably see some time at CLUB FED.

look at reality,nothing you say to these two will change anything...the dice have been thrown all bets are off,we just wait to see who wins ,who loses,and by how much.

i appreciate the ego stroking but,i am a REALIST.

t-49 & Coyote, you're scaring me! We seem to be speaking different languages! Correct me if I got this wrong (have just come home from a week in hospital) but Coyote thinks I expect to cure all the ills of the free enterprise system with one stroke of the pen. t-49 thinks I want to rehabilitate Basi & Virk as BC Liberals. Jayzus Murphy, guys?

I'll say it again: There's a trial coming in April. There's a public interest issue of enormous proportions here. British Columbia hasn't lost only a minor corporation manufacturing Widgets; we've lost vital elements of public transportation, hydro-power, infrastructure, and like that.

There's a moment in time, coming in April, where the biggest issue (how we lost BC Rail) will come before the BC Supreme Court. If we don't begin the discussion now, we'll be helpless to respond in time to the most stunning revelations. So do we sit gawp-jawed? Or do we begin a discussion. What do we want? What's possible? Who could help?

All I'm saying is: let's think about it. Let's be ready. There's a possibility (I don't care how slim a possibility) that we can regain what was stripped from us. And there are 2 guys -- make that one guy (David Basi) -- who knows how the loss of BC Rail happened. Why not ask him, in an Open Letter? Right now! So others may join in?

The paralysis of silence is beginning to scare the hell out of me. You, dear old Coyote, are you telling me that, in your considered opinion, we don't dare speak? T49, are you saying we have no right to think of these things without a guaranteed reward?

thomas49, Coyote, please: an Open Letter to David Basi-- appearing right here in one of these tidy Tyee frames -- asking Basi to become the Hero of the Year by blowing the top off this BC Rail affair. Tell him why. Tell him, t49, that you believe he has nothing more to lose but plenty to gain if he shows honesty and remorse for the public good. And tries to make amends.

I'm a realist too, t-49, and I believe passionately in the power of the civil question, honestly held. Besides, what have you got to lose, by writing an Open Letter to David Basi?

I guess you have never been shunned.

these two know what is happening and like molasses in winter justice will be served,no matter what we think of the outcome.

the reason these things take so long...the lawyers brokering deals and to calm the waters.the ripple effect has in this case touched a lot of people and some of those people don't think like you/me/responsible citizens.

the CRIMINAL ELEMENT in the drug case muddies the waters of any discourse with one person and maybe both,when you look at the business and political relationships they had during their employment and party affiliation.

i don't pretend to know who or how they can obtain any work from when this is over.
i cannot call them criminals til the court case is over.they are alleged,criminals.and that's the game we are watching right now.

it's the kind of rhetoric that does leave decent people feeling empty.

i leave you with one thought before i BAIL on this topic.

if you have a decent job and lifestyle,a political party affiliation with power,the world at your feet...would you be selling DRUGS?

THAT'S THE MENTALITY YOU WANT TO DIALOGUE WITH ?

BC Mary,

I know of Basi and Virk of course, and the general picture of their role in the sale of BC Rail, or at least one of them etc. No one however, I suspect, has a more extensive knowledge of these two than you do. :-)

That said, fire me some info detail in an email (below), assuming for some reason you feel "indadequate" to the task, and goodness only knows why, 'cause yo sure as hell ain't, and/or better even yet, we can draft it together. Either I or yourself can do the rough draft, and we'll "craft" it jointly.

Thomas49 wants in, lets do it. Might even be fun.

gets me anytime.

Might even work.

The Mrs is taking me to the movies tonight. Supper and a glass of the best scotch in the house.

She wants my lovin', a woman has to pamper me, wine me and dine me once in awhile. I'm worth it. 8-D

Can't let these ladies have it all their way.

Dialogue? With Basi & Virk? No, t49, where'd you get that idea? What I'd like to see is you writing an Open Letter to David Basi which should spark general discussion.

But that may never happen, as you know. I under-valued one of your remarks, when you wrote:

Google provides no evidence that trial by judge alone means that the court, as you said, "is closed to the public." What a strange statement for you to float. Are you trying to scare people away? I think you're off my christmas card list.

Coyote
I was not apologizing for anyone, but helping to make a subtle difference clear to people that may not realize that the sale brought on a change of the regulatory body for this railway, it also meant that the workload for the federal regulators at the railway safety branch in New West tripled overnight This has implications for how the railway is monitored and also means that the Inspectors must now learn about the history of the tracks and the troublespots. I don’t think the Province turned over it’s records to them and even if it did, they don’t have the manpower to go through them.

bcmary,after reading your article in vive canada,i wondered what your were positioning thomas49 for.i thought you might be playing WHACKAMOLE with him.
you are more knowledgable of the affair than he is yet you set him up for ridicule.

i wonder just who you really are ? what your motives are ?

the drug charges have been STAYED,the two basi' are crying discrimination ,because they are indo canadians,virk is yapping off everytime he gets near a microphone about his innocence.

bolton,being a lawyer could'nt care less when this gets to court ,he gets paid,eventualy and it will be a BIG payday.

justice dohm,now there is a guy you want to watch,and he knows it.so he will bide his time til he can see an opening he can use and not be pressured by the public,this is going to last 6 months or longer in court.

as far as your last statement about being "closed to the public" that has been FLOATED by more than just thomas49,it is one of those things that if it is said enough it becomes the truth.

that is why lawyers BUY TIME for their CLIENTS.

these guys are going to get off with nothing more than a slap on the wrist,if that.

i suggest you read the charges,they are posted.

The Transportation Safety Board is the lead organization in accident investigation. Report of findings are generally issued 6 - 15 months after the occurance.

Increasingly and not suprisingly, Transport Canada comes into criticism by the TSB. Mostly for failing to properly regulate.

Also increasingly, trade unions and their members are becoming concerned about the cozy and exclusive relationship that corporate interests have with T.C.

Tranport Canada has all but gotten out of the regulating business and leaving it for business to regulate themselves or hiring outside agencies to inspect their equipment.

This is particularly true in the marine sector.

It has been suggested by others above that letters to their MP's are appropriate, I would suggest letters to Transport Minister Cannon would be more appropriate.

It has been my view over the past three or four years that the party that is most in tune with the national public interest in terms of the environment and safety is Canada's transportation unions. This party has been shut out by T.C. and our environment and workers are the victims of this wrong-headed application of policy.

In some respects, this matter is more fascinating if you look at the three Liberal politicians whose departure from the game occurred more or less contemporaneously with the charges against Basi and Virk: Mr. Farrell-Collins, Ms Clark and Ms Read. That's where the real investigative work is to be done, in my opinion. If any connections between these worthies are revealed in the charge documents scheduled to be released today then it might get very interesting. Otherwise, one will have to wait for the trial and, as others have observed, that may well be an enormous anti-climax.

Right on, G West.

Nothing stronger than intuition on my part, but my feeling is that unfortunately a lot of the revealing "details" will never come to light.

This is based on just one thing: the fact that Christie Clark decided to run for mayor of Vancouver. Since her husband, Mark Marrissen, is a key power broker in the federal Liberals, questioned by police in regard to Basi and Virk investigation, and she, of, course left the infamous BC Liberals soon after to spend more time with her son she said...she must have felt quite assured that if she had won the mayoral race, that nothing let's say "embarrassing" or "humiliating" in regard to her and her husband's ties to the federal and provincial Liberals would develop during her mayoral term.

My guess is that some things have already been "settled".

But as you say, if connections are revealed in the documents today it may prove interesting.

Quotes from Vaughn Palmer, Vancouver Sun, 4 Jan. 2005
Raid on legislature a story with legs ...

Palmer wrote: 6 days after the shocking raids on the legislature, citizens have been told next to nothing about the RCMP actions that have shaken the province's political life to its core. Vancouver Sun filled its front page which included:

* Does it mean anything that so many of the individuals have links to the federal Liberal party, Prime Minister Paul Martin's organizing team in B.C., and his leadership campaign? Apparently, wrote Palmer, it didn't mean much. The investigation touched only peripherally on the Martin organization. None of the charges refer to a federal Liberal connection.

* Another question was right on target: Does the fact that so many individuals have connections with the BC Rail deal mean anything? Well, opines Palmer, yes. 9 of the 12 counts of alleged corruption refer to the deal making involving BC Rail in the fall of 2003.

* Has the investigation uncovered evidence that government policies or decisions may have been illegally or inappropriately affected? Palmer: Yes again. The government was forced to cancel the effort to find a private operator for the BCR spur line to Roberts Bank after police advised that the process may have been compromised.

* Plus several counts in the indictment allege that the bidding process for the larger freight division was "recklessly" put at risk as well.

* With so many unanswered questions, can the citizens of the province be confident in the government's ability to function effectively?

Palmer puts that question high on the list of the year's tough questions. This is one huge, all-encompassing question of governance for British Columbia. So please, Harald Kann, don't worry your pretty head about my credentials, or my motives. We need to focus on the disaster staring us in the face. Not just me. All of us.

Apology: I'm just home from a week in hospital (big bad cold, pneumonia, heart problem) and feeling shakey and weak. So didn't catch the omission in Para #1 above.

Should be: Vancouver Sun filled its front page with 27 unanswered questions which included:

BC Mary
Ugh! Hope you get over it soon does not sound pleasant. Hope you can sit in front of a window with some sun, a book that will make laugh and a good cup of tea.

Mary
Don't get too exercised about Liberal corruption - I trust it'll still be around when you're better.
Cheers.

lynn: What you said. Geoff Plant, too. Not to mention all the other persons charged, or merely "persons of interest."

And remember Rich Coleman at the Vancouver Board of Trade on 30 Jan. 2004, saying "that weapons used in Afghanistan were tracked and the trail led back to the sale of B.C. marijuana?" He said " ... BC Bud is financing guns used by Afghan insurgents." Afghanistan, where Prime Minister Harper is today, visiting the 2,200 Canadian soldiers who are facing those guns.

Asked, 2 years ago, how he knew all this, Coleman said he had been briefed by organized crime agencies and police in B.C., the U.S., and "other countries." [BC Bud buys guns for Afghans, by Petti Fong. Vancouver Sun, 31 Jan. 04.]

I can't even imagine a bigger disaster than this.

Colin: Your image made me feel better. Thanks.

Aw, G. For chrissake ... !

BC Mary: Talk about train wrecks...I didn't know about the Afghanistan connection. This is the only litle tidbit I found breaking 15 minutes ago or so.

http://www.940news.com/nouvelles.php?cat=23&id=31343

Hope you're feeling better, BC Mary... take care.

Uh oh...I see that was EST...so you probably already know this.

Sorry Mary and others.

I have been a busy little kitty today. And I have a meeting to prepare for this evening. Tomorrow though, I will read through this thread very carefully.

I owe that much to this fine woman friend of mine, BC Mary.

Sorry, but now I must dash.

I hate meetings. Big time.

Typically, they start and end nowhere.

Mary,
that was meant to make you smile, sorry if it didn't have that effect. Get well!

BC MARY approximately 40 post back thomas 49 made a short comment that caught my eye.

These guys [hwy maint.] were given a ten year contract by this government and guess who were at the controls for this plum give away deal, maybe the manure pile is larger and deeper than we realize.

Virk, Basi, Collins, C.Clark, Campbell. All have an interesting tie together. Whether its
railroads stolen, Drugs grown, inside information passed on, Lies told, kids abused and
killed, seniors abandoned and murdered, all in the name of profit. All I know is since
gordo and his criminals have been in power there have been more train derailments, more
deaths, but the good news is that you can drink, and gamble to your hearts content all
over BC. Hold on, there is an expanding erection coming in 2010. That will fix all...sure.
The rats for most part have left the nest, leaving gordo and his crew. No gordo, we have
no more extra money in our pockets, can you and your band say the same? We are the
laughing stock of the world, criminals, convicted drug abusers running our province.
Good work gordo.

"look at the highways maintainance problems"

these problems started right away.they could not clear certain portions of the highways and yet the goverment did nothing.and the cleared portions were often damaged by operators that could not properly drive the machines.it takes years of employment to hop into any heavy equiptment and operate it safely and skilfully.check out the average age they hire on and the length of employment.check out the nepotism,the rate of wages,etc.

some one is making big bucks and the highways are poorly maintained.

Highways are important. But they pale in comparison to the ball of wax surrounding the "sale" of BC Rail ... whether or not organized crime is operating within government and/or the electoral process ... whether justice is being obstructed ... whether Tony Soprano is running British Columbia and receiving the $6 Billion sucked out of the BC economy each year for illicit drug trade ...

These are the huge basic issues which may unravel once Basi and Virk begin to tell their story at trial.

BC Mary like I said

woody i think you are correct all these things are interconnected and the contracts and the sales all have the same fingerprints on them.

and the public has been wading around knee deep as you suggest in the liberal manure pile

I had to get out of CN cause I couldn't stand working for American Hunter Harrison and his family of accolytes. When CN was gov't owned people complained like crazy when the CEO got 400k a year. Now he gets 14 million a year and nobody says a word. Why is that? Is it ok when an American screws us over?

This is all part of the plan to take the assets of all citizens and give it to the wealthy. And we and the environment gets all the crap.

Way to go Canada! What else is for sale?

Sidebar questions:
(1)How many jobs were lost when the North Vancouver yards were closed? That is, how many completely lost and how many went to other locations?
(2)Why did the BC Libs transfer BCR property, in fact, in fact or in kind, to other communities, but not to North Vancouver?
(3)Why did Kevin Falcon want to sell BCR lands in North Vancouver to TransLink for over $12-million, when he thinks there are so many problems with its governance, that he wants to hold an "independent" review? [Don't answer that - it's too much of a "tangled web".]
(4)Why is N. Van. not demanding the same "land for lost jobs" deal that other Gordo/Falcon gave to the others?
(5)Why isn't the media all over this one?

Cut out one 'in fact' in that last one. It's getting too late to write right.

Isabella2: could you write more about the North Vancouver yards, BC Rail property, Translink? This is all new to me, and seems vitally linked to the "sale" of BCRail.

Right on, why isn't the media all over this?

In my backyard, freight trains have increased in size, up to 120 cars now from just a bit over 60, CN and BNSF operating cars with flat wheels, box cars sway back and forth as much as 18" and joint bar bolts loose, not just in a few places but along a curved section of track. Chlorine, propane, ammonia, sodium chlorate, caustic soda to name just a few of the tank car contents roll along this section of the line in a residential area. In one are near my home there is only one way for 2,000 people to evacuate their homes, across the rail crossing. So what happens if there's a derailment and toxic dangerous chemicals like chlorine or ammonia are released? How do these people escape?

So I looked into the rail safety standards or regulations for Canada. Hmmmm....12 pages...there appears to be no reprocussions if the train company fails to meet these standards.

I logically thought, since CN and CP run rails in both the US and Canada, that Canada has 'adjusted' their standards to 'fit' into US regs or standards. Was I ever wrong.

Seems little ol' Canada has far surpassed the US in reducing "red tape". The US rail safety standards are written in two volumes, over 240 pages of standards and specifics along with penalties if the rail companies do not comply.

In addition, the US govt operates a rail safety division out of the Dept of Transportation. This department is well equipped with inspectors. Since rail derailments have increased in the states, the rail inspectors have highlighted the causes and are currently conducting surprise inspections throughout the US.

So what's happened here. There appears to be no public oversight into the operations of rail companies operating in Canada except when there's an accident.

We've left everything up to the goodwill of the rail companies. It's about time that we wrestle the inspection and oversight of operations in Canada with a public body capable of keeping up on what rail companies are doing here.

CN derailments have increased 35% in just one year. Isn't this enough of a wake-up call to get the gov't off its lazy ass and begin to protect citizens against corporate indifference and criminal behavoir?

PeteL and Whistle, thanks for keeping the focus of the article in perspective and on topic.

I agree, it appears that Transport Canada is more interested in seeing that the missions and goals of CN, CP and the port authorities are reached without any thought to upholding the regulations and safety standards that protect the public.