The Liberals should not applaud too quickly. In that timeframe what has been their solution when it comes to transportation issues, aside from bureaucracy and to continue to consult? Two thorough, comprehensive transportation policy documents have just been handed to the government by the BC Progress Board and the provincial government, telling it specifically what to do.
If the Prime Minister wants to address western alienation and if the transport minister really wants to effectively address this issue, they should offer specific solutions, such as the ones outlined in my speech about eliminating the cap, allowing ports to issue bonds, dealing with the dredging issue, dealing with port security. Substantive policy changes need to take place in order for the western Pacific gateway initiative to become a reality, yet the minister proposes more bureaucracy.
This takes us to the third question that my colleague from Skeena—Bulkley Valley asked and that is the whole issue of patronage. On this council that will be a part of this initiative there are no provisions about who will be appointed to this board, except that they will have to come from a series of industry groups. There have to be two from British Columbia, one from Alberta, one from Saskatchewan and one from Manitoba. Those are the only provisions.
Do not be surprised if failed Liberal candidates and failed Liberal hacks and failed Liberal bagmen, or I guess successful Liberal bagmen for that matter, find their way on to that list. The entire council will be appointed by the cabinet on the reference of the transport minister himself. I do not hold any great promise that this process is going to be patronage free or that they will find real solutions.
The Liberal government has had over 12 years to come to this House and to offer substantive, concrete solutions to the Pacific gateway initiative. Instead it has come here offering a bureaucracy. I think that British Columbians will see that this is not helping to tamper down western alienation, but should in fact ignite it even further.