Report calls privatization a “no brainer”

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Privatizing more Crown corporations is a good thing, at least according to a new report. In fact, SFU Beedie School of Business Professor Aidan Vining calls it a no-brainer in most cases.

However, Vining points out most of the so-called “no brainer” Crown corporations in this province have already been sold off, except for one: the BC Liquor Distribution Branch.

“It’s not only ripe [for the picking]; it’s one that they’re doing kind of under the table. They’re allowing the proliferation of private-licence liquor stores. You could argue that it’s de facto [privatization], although I don’t think the government would ever admit that that’s what they’re doing,” he argues.

Vining believes the only thing stopping the government from full-on privatizing the branch is the potential political fallout from big labour. “With the premier having a jobs strategy, I don’t think they would ever announce this publicly because the unions would accuse them of reducing wages and cutting jobs.”
    
He admits privatizing would result in some initial job loss, but those positions would be recovered in the long-term through expansion.

Nationally, the report identifies CBC, Canada Post and ViaRail as potential targets.

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