Groping around for an argument on the last day of the legislative sitting last week, the New Democrats seized on a startling topic: ferry-building.
Given the partys track record when it comes to building ferries which is: three swings, three spectacular misses it was a startling choice. It has been 13 years since the fast-ferry experiment sank under the weight of its own incompetence, but the memories are still vivid. Youd think the topic would be marked in the Opposition files under the heading "Still Too Soon."
The NDP criticizing a ferry-building project is like the Vancouver Canucks teaching a course in goaltender management.
But the temptation was irresistible, given the setup. B.C. Ferries needs three intermediate-class ferries and this week got the OK from the ferry commissioner to build them.
The NDP has been stung by criticisms that their election campaign failed to show the slightest interest in jobs. So the obvious line of attack involved where the ferries will be built. The Opposition is primed for a reprise of the argument nine years ago that erupted after B.C. Ferries stiffed local shipyards and went to Germany to get the three coastal-class vessels built.
The NDP took part then in a concentrated campaign against that decision. It didnt change the companys mind, but it did sensitize people to the issue. This time, though, it looks as if they are getting ahead of themselves.
The entire round of questions and criticisms this week was devoted to the theme that the B.C. Liberals are going to stand idly by and do nothing while B.C. Ferries goes offshore again to get ferries built.
NDP Leader Adrian Dix said B.C. jobs come number two.
"You either believe we should build ships in B.C. or you dont."
Opposition MLA Gary Holman chimed in, accusing the Liberals of turning their backs on the opportunity to build family-supporting, tax-contributing jobs in B.C. From the general tone, youd think the deal was done and those German welders were already clocking in what should have been B.C. jobs.
But all thats happened so far is that the company has said it needs three ships. And in fact, its specifically invited "Canadian and international shipyards" to bid on the jobs.
The NDP campaign seems to be based on the idea that the government and the corporation should have slammed the door and confined the bidding process to just B.C. yards.
But that doesnt sound like a particularly sound way to keep the bids competitive. In fact, it would amount to gift-wrapping the opportunity and delivering it to the B.C. yards on a silver plate.
The line of questioning also seems to assume that an offshore yard will automatically beat local yards.
Not so fast. Its a whole different story this time around.
The ferries needed are scarcely half the size of the coastal-class ships that were built in Germany. Ships with 125- to 145-car capacity are much more within the range of B.C. yards. The most recent ferry order was that size, and it was built locally, in 2008.
And Seaspan and other yards are beefed up compared to where they were nine years ago. Seaspan is well into a $180-million upgrade of its yard in preparation for its share of the long-term federal contract it won.
There are a small handful of B.C. yards that could bid on the ferry work and win the job. It depends a bit on the timing, particularly in Seaspans case, since it would have to coincide properly with the rollout of the contracts the federal government will be letting.
The one question mark is the idea of powering them with liquefied natural gas, which is being considered.
That would be a novelty for the local shipyards. But its not as if they have to build LNG units. They just have to install them.
LNG-powered engines would be components you buy like any other.
They would make it more complex and expensive, but hardly impossible.
We are still several steps away from taking to the streets again to protest foreign-built ferries. And the landscape is so different now, theres an even chance there will be no need to do so.
