Charlie Wyse ON BC Rail

Charlie Wyse is the MLA for the South Cariboo.

On speaking with the Williams Lake Tribune to the issue of Kinsella getting $297,000 from BC Rail, and not providing details of what was done, he had this to add.


[snip] Wyse also has other concerns about the sale of BC Rail, and says that when it was sold to CN, British Columbians were told that they would get better service. "That was one of the reasons for actually selling it," Wyse says. "In actual fact, we know that is not the case. That is not what has happened."

He says the forest and agriculture industries have especially suffered due to a lack of adequate service. He says the forest industry doesn't receive railcars in either the number it requires or doesn't receive them in a timely fashion.

"That has been an issue with the forest industry almost from day one," he says, adding that due to the economic situation, any competitive edge available to the industry is greatly needed. "Being able to move the product to market with the greater efficiency of railway has been lost."

Wyse also points to the ranching industry's difficulties with CN Rail, and says CN doesn't build adequate fencing along the line to prevent collisions with livestock, doesn't report collisions with livestock, and doesn't adequately address invasive weeds.

He says the tourism industry has also been affected, due to the loss of passenger rail service along the line.

"Now we're beginning to overturn documents in which we have got an individual who has a direct connection with Premier Campbell," Wyse says. "This sum of money that he had been paid, almost $300,000, continues to taint the sale of BC Rail and the credibility of the premier in his dealing with the people of British Columbia."

In response to the government refusing to answer because of the court case, Wyse contends that the documents found in the legislative library are public documents.

"We (the NDP) believe and I believe the premier has the responsibility to come clean with the people of British Columbia, the relationship that exists between Patrick Kinsella -- a Liberal insider -- and the sale of BC Rail."

Kelli Svendsen, spokesperson for CN Rail, has previously told the Tribune that the company feels it provides enough assistance to ranchers, as it provides fencing material for those on privately owned land. Constructing and maintaining the fences should be the ranchers' responsibility, she said.

"We find this is fair and it's consistent throughout Canada," she said. "Since 1996, federal regulated railways in Canada are not responsible for constructing or maintaining fences along the railway. ... We go over and above what is regulated."

She also said CN makes every effort to contact the owners of livestock that are killed by a train, but sometimes cattle can't be properly identified.

"Ranchers have a responsibility to monitor their livestock," she said, adding that CN Rail also controls noxious weeds along the railway's right-of-way.

What they don't tell you here is that BC Rail, before it was given to CN, used to maintain the line, mend fences and destroy the noxious weeds.

As far as making every effort to contact owners of cattle killed by the trains that is pure BS. Every head of cattle is either branded and/or tagged in the ear (with a radio tag). The only time you can see these animals without these markings is from birth to branding time. And these are the calves. They are with their mothers.

On the railcars: you don't have to be a rocket scientist to see the lack of cars on this line. And don't tell me its because of the economy because I allege that part of the downturn in idustry in northern BC is caused by this utter lack of service by CN.


Its also interesting to note the 1996 date on the federal regulations here. 1996 is about the time that Campbell first said he was going to sell the railway. Coincidence? I don't think so. I allege the fix was already in.