If you are confused about whether the outrageous bonus scheme at B.C. Ferries is gone or not, join the lineup in the overflow parking lot.
The corporation recently announced an end to the bonus scheme for executives and senior managers.
But the fine print reveals that the executive bonuses, averaged for the last four years, will no longer be "bonuses," but salary.
In the real world, that's a pay raise, not a clawback.
It's true the "bonus" part of the salary is not automatic; specified targets must be met.
But since those targets are not defined, one can only imagine how the board of directors (we're not sure which one - there are two!) will reward their hardest working execs.
Most sailings cut? Biggest drop in ridership? Longest sailing wait?
In truth, the money involved compared to the sea of red ink upon which our provincial ferry system floats is miniscule.
And if our intrepid executives could right their ship or at least get it pointed in the right direction, they would be worth every penny.
Instead, expect to hear the transportation minister announcing service cuts next week and another barrage of public criticism.
If Premier Christy Clark is "not happy" with executive remuneration at B.C. Ferries, she could do a lot more than moan about it.
If Clark wanted to really shake things up, she should dust off the 2009 comptroller-general report that advocated a transport commission overseeing both TransLink and B.C. Ferries.
We'd go further and suggest the Ministry of Transportation take direct control of both bodies, but it won't happen because the current system exists to keep debt off the government books.
