Dear editor,
Today I received a letter from Andrew Wilkinson, leader of the BC Liberals, laying out the disastrous increase in ICBC rates. In this letter he attributes the onerous increase to the Crown corporation created by the NDP in the 70s. The inference is that as they are currently in power, it’s their fault.
It may be perhaps argued whether a monopoly is a good thing or not. The fact that rates will increase is not good news to any of us. To put it in perspective, let us cast our minds back to why ICBC is struggling financially.
Under the Liberal leadership of Christy Clark, in 2014 the BC liberals removed more than $1 billion from ICBC and BC Hydro and transferred it to general funds. (Government grabbing cash from ICBC, BC Hydro as they raise rates, NDP charges - Vancouver Sun, Feb. 19, 2014).
I am not an accountant but it would seem to me that by doing so, it would make the budget look more attractive and also make the use of the funds more difficult to track. It would also considerably reduce the operating capital available to the reluctant donor, ICBC. I would presume that although this caused considerable consternation among ICBC directors, their bonuses did not suffer as a result. Whether their management techniques led further to this financial loss may be debated.
So when one suffers a loss of operating capital, what is the first thought to sustain the business? Raise the rates, of course. Surprise!
Andrew now wants us to blame the NDP for all these woes. I am neither an NDP supporter nor a Liberal. Not a Green either, although over the years I have voted for candidates from all three parties. When one has authority for decisions, along with that comes responsibility and accountability. We see too much these days of, “It’s not my fault…”
Does Andrew really believe that all of us who still have working memories don’t use them?
Mel Bush,
Comox