Wednesday, December 24, 2008

The Clarity of Campbell's Priorities


She has now been described as " one of the nicest persons I’ve met.”

She has also been suspected of being drunk while driving her Ford Escape too fast and dangerously near Nanaimo on Monday, resulting in the deaths of two of her boys.

The police would like to look at the blood sample the hospital now has.

This is to say that what follows does not let this individual off the hook. Speeding and trying to pass in these nightmare snow-out conditions is simply crazy.

BUT...

The particular stretch of highway where this tragedy unfolded - Cassidy, near Nanaimo, has had 50 collisions since 2003. One man who works at the Cassidy Inn pub says he terrified every night when he leaves the parking lot. In spite of calls from local residents to add some safety measures, like cement median dividers and traffic lights, the Highways Ministry and has not responded and ICBC - home of the Hushed UP Chop Scandal -has not yet flagged this a as "high crash area."

Let's see...50 crashes since '03 and ICBC can't designate this a "high crash area?"

Of course they can't.

Because that would mean money and action on the part of the provincial government.

And for any of you who have ever driven anywhere near Nanaimo or have a Google map handy, you will note that this particular neck of the woods ISN'T PART OF THE SEA-TO-SKY OLYMPIC SPEED ROUTE.

Now, this is exactly an example of the editorial I posted on Saturday, "The Role of Government in Our Lives."

Mr. Campbell will spend millions upon millions for that famous road to Whistler Village, but God forbid he should spend a few thousand on fixing a dangerous stretch of highway less than two hours dangerous drive from the legislature.

Political realities are clear and they are not attractive.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just curious? How many accidents on that stretch have anything to do with people leaving the pub?

Anonymous said...

The dangerous stretch of highways which should be attended to.....yes, however all I could think of while reading the article was........"Suspected of being drunk - - - resulting in the death of her two boys." If it is true that she was indeed driving while drunk, how will this woman, this "nice person" ever forgive herself...? The boys - gone.

God - how sad.

Anonymous said...

Just curious, why to our liquor licensing laws mandate that pubs have to be 1 mile or the equivalent in km. apart?