Simplicity could sort out ICBC

Dear Editor: Legitimate explanations are being offered for how ICBC “got away” on us (yes, the Liberals did “milk” the system), and what I view as non-“solutions” are being proposed to make amends (yes, the hero on the white horse of privatize rides again — check out health care in the U.S. for how that one works!)

I don’t know if our NDP/Green alliance will effectively unravel the ICBC mess, but simplicity, clarity and consistency are almost always the best way to correct what have become complicated or serious wrongs.

One thing should be abundantly clear at this point: It is near suicide for public accountability and public (taxpayer) dollars to let the Public service or a Crown corporation operate without being subject to public direction, supervision, and censure via annual review and court sanctioned access that allows the public to moderate and, if necessary, challenge and correct decisions.

No fault insurance rates (and repairs) are synonymous with a bright red flashing “Help yourself” neon sign in the dark of night, not only to the public service/Crown corporations (in this case ICBC), but to those who characteristically exploit weak or blind regulatory processes that make citizens vulnerable — the wealthy, those that don’t give a damn, the irresponsible and shady operators, and yes, auto repair services. It’s a gift to those who very easily can, and those who can’t, pay — let the “middle” absorb the tab. It’s also obscenely unfair to the majority. Today’s ICBC should be all the evidence we need.

Vehicle repairs would become a competitive business. I’d like to see ICBC establish a chain of repair shops that operate on a public-interest-first, non-profit basis and are accountable to the public for costs. This would still be less costly than what we have now, and it could (stress, could) be managed to set the bar for the private sector.