e-KNOW Editorial

By Ian Cobb

Consider this figure: $935 million. Almost $1 billion.

That is $935 million lost in nine months by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC), between April 1 and Dec. 31 2017.

But wait, there is more!

There is a projected total loss of $1.29 billion by March 31, the end of the current fiscal year.

ICBC groaned in a public statement that the loss “is further evidence of the growing financial pressures we are under from the rapid increase in the number of crashes occurring across B.C., the surge in claims and the massive growth in the costs of those claims. Simply put, the amount of premiums we are collecting from customers is not covering the ever-increasing amounts we are paying out in claims costs,” a system ICBC noted as “not sustainable.”

Attorney General (and Minister for ICBC) David Eby and the NDP (GreeNDP) are blaming the previous BC Liberal government for the staggering losses.

Their hold on power tenuous, the previous Liberal government opted to toe recommendations made in a 2014 report by consultants Ernst and Young, that in part could have helped reduce the losses, under a carpet.

Said report called on government to impose a cap on large court-ordered financial awards paid to victims who suffer “minor” soft-tissue injuries in auto crashes. B.C. still the only province in Canada where such awards remain unlimited.

The projected $1.3 billion loss, which Eby calls a “dumpster fire,” is also suspiciously close to the $1.2 billion the Liberals removed from ICBC to boost government coffers, he pointed out in an internal government document obtained and reported upon by Vancouver Province columnist Mike Smyth Jan. 28.

“Now, B.C. drivers are looking at a rate hike of at least $400 more in their premiums by next year unless we take immediate action to keep rates more affordable,” Eby stated in the document.

Mmm-hmm. So, the guys in charge have completely and most horribly shit the bed.

There is always blame and it is all fine and dandy to lay it out for the money machines who fail to vote enough (provincial constituents), but same money machines have to once again be the solution.

At what point do we taxpayers – THE bosses of British Columbia – say “that’s enough of that %#$king noise” and demand heads on platters?

Instead we get the usual finger pointing and posturing from the folks in charge, the tucking and running from those formerly in charge and nary a man or woman has come forward and declared, “this has happened on my watch; please accept my resignation.”

Hands up out there in the real world, if you lost ANY sum of money while doing your job, would your employment security be in jeopardy?

Bet your underpaid rump it would!

Yet, the oinks slurping up far more taxpayer and insurance buying peoples’ money than they should or deserve are sitting back, perhaps whistling nervously, but likely believing this too shall pass. Kind of like most of that daily growing list of rat bastards currently being exposed for the abusive, intrusive, sick monsters they are or have been.

Alas, there is no #MeToo for ratepayers being repeatedly abused by the curly-tailed  trough-slurpers in Victoria and in Crown corporation offices.

It is high time that we set some examples in this country.

The first being: you lose it – you find it or replace it or you go to jail. No excuses; no pointing fingers in the hopes you will distract people from the truth; no more free pass for royally sticking it to taxpayers.

NDP, Greens, Liberals, Conservatives and Independents – and all government bureaucrats: this is on you.

Yes, accident rates are up and distracted driving is taking over from impaired driving as the major source of driver screw-ups, with lawyers able to get the most for their clients at the expense of ICBC (imagine, an insurer having to pay!) But speaking as someone who lives outside the cluster-pook that is the Lower Mainland, where most of the dumb ass stuff happens that costs ALL British Columbians in one way or another, I feel I must demand more recompense from the gang in charge than excuses and feints to the left and right.

Fact is, despite our driving habits, we pay YOU LOT a lot of money to deal with this stuff. And what do you do? Lose $1.2 billion and make excuses.

ICBC has been a mess since the NDP was in charge last time. The Liberals didn’t fare any better. So stop with the political games and sort this crap out. The ICBC pigpen is far beyond the need for a good mucking out.

These sorry losses should serve as the final reminder; the last waft of excremental stench drifting from the pigsty or dumpster fire or pit of greasy weasels, whatever one wishes to call it.

It is time we created true accountability guidelines for senior bureaucrats and Crown corporation bosses, as well as for those in elected office, where failure isn’t an option. It’s the end of one’s job.

– Ian Cobb is owner/editor of e-KNOW

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