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New allegations at Basi-Virk trial underline need for public inquiry into BC Rail privatization
May 15, 2007
Vancouver - New allegations of Liberal dirty tricks against the BC Federation of Labour, disclosed today in the Basi-Virk trial, underline the need for a full public inquiry into the BC Rail privatization, says B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair.
"BC's interior communities lost hundreds of jobs from the sale of BC Rail to CN Rail," said Sinclair, "in a privatization which was a direct betrayal of Gordon Campbell's campaign promises. Those communities continue to pay the price, including serious safety and derailment risks, some involving loss of life or serious environmental damage by CN Rail."
"It's no secret that BC's labour movement worked hard with resource communities to stop the sale. Now it appears we may have been targeted for retribution by BC Liberal political aides on the government payroll," Sinclair stated.
"Today, we heard allegations of political dirty tricks against me and the Federation by political staff directly involved in that privatization. These allegations are on top of the very disturbing allegations regarding the sale itself. All these developments point to the need for a public inquiry that goes well beyond the scope of the issues in this trial."
Sinclair said the unprecedented hand-over of public assets to CN Rail was unacceptable at the time, "but now we see increasing evidence that the process itself was manipulated for the private gain of insiders."
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