North Coast MLA Gary Coons had planned a trip to the islands for the Chamber of Commerce meeting in early September, but he won't be able to make it because the legislature meets earlier than he had anticipated. The original date was October 3, he said, but instead MLAs have been called to Victoria for September 12 because of a need to get the budget plan going.
As Opposition Critic for Ferries and Ports, Mr. Coons says he's concerned about the lack of public scrutiny into the deal being negotiated between the province and BC Ferries over new ferries for the north. He said he's trying to find out how much taxpayer money is going into the upcoming project, but said that the details are "hard to get a hold of". "I guess that's the cost of privatization," he said, "less service, and more secretiveness."