WILLIAMS LAKE — News that the Cariboo is losing more rail jobs is part of the ongoing fallout from Gordon Campbell’s broken promise not to sell off B.C. Rail, say the New Democrats.

“Five years after the sale of B.C. Rail, our region is still feeling the impact of Campbell’s Charlie Wysebroken promise,” said Cariboo South MLA Charlie Wyse after learning that six rail jobs are being transferred out of Williams Lake and a seventh is being transferred out of Lillooet.

“When he sold B.C. Rail, Gordon Campbell claimed it would be good for our economy,” said Wyse. “That turned out to be another broken Campbell promise to the people of our region. The truth is the legacy of the sale has been job losses, service reductions, and damage to forestry, ranching, tourism and other key industries.” 

Yale-Lillooet MLA Harry Lali said the controversial sale of B.C. Rail – which is now mired in scandal – shows that Gordon Campbell puts his corporate friends ahead of his promises to rural B.C.

Harry Lali“Campbell’s broken promise has been a disaster for the Interior,” said Lali. “People here are paying the price, and it’s outrageous that they still can’t get answers from the Campbell Liberals about the secret backroom dealings that led to this sale.”

John Holliday, General Chairman of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, said that C.N. is breaking their own rules by moving jobs out of Williams Lake and Lillooet. 

“C.N. is breaking agreements with this decision,” said Holliday. “This is just another example of a long line of broken promises stemming from the Campbell government’s sale of B.C. Rail.”

Harry Lali

Fraser-Nicola

Harry Lali served as Minister of Transportation and Highways from February, 1998, to February, 2001.