Gabriola Island Ferry by Buffett Jr
More bad press for B.C. Ferries.
Canada’s transportation safety watchdog warned Wednesday of widespread marijuana use by BC Ferries crew members on the company’s northern routes, a revelation that had the government-owned ferry operator calling for mandatory and random drug testing.
The Transportation Safety Board said the information surfaced in the investigation into the sinking of the Queen of the North in March 2006, which killed two passengers.
“We interviewed enough people who told us the crews were regularly smoking cannabis and a pattern began to emerge,” spokesman John Cottreau said from Gatineau, Que. The follow-up interviews, however, turned up no evidence the bridge crew on the former BC Ferries flagship was high.
Read more at:
- The Canadian Press: Marijuana use by B.C. Ferries crew prompts call for random drug tests
- CBC News: Marijuana use by B.C. Ferries crew prompts call for random drug tests
- CTV: Test ferry crews for drugs, BC Ferries chief says
Update 1: The TSB report on the Queen of the North’s sinking has been released.
I guess this is a cover for the sex rumours… it’s not SEX, but DRUGS. Expect a ROCK AND ROLL rumour next month.
Actually, this probably has more to do with the current government’s drug strategy than anything — the Americans used a railway accident in the 80’s as an excuse to piss test everyone. A shame, really. Unless you’re actually driving the boat, there’s nothing wrong with going above deck and sparking one.
As a retired Chief Engineer who sailed for 35 years on many different ships with many different sailors here is a HEADS UP. I have smoked pot before and after watch under all kinds of conditions . There is no way in the world that 3 people in the Wheelhouse , IF they were high on pot , could have been so stoned as too not see that the ship was off course , not with Radar and Computer Navigation Consoles running. The report said that the Helmswoman was alone , where were the two Navigation officers ? I don‘t think they were in their cabins rolling joints. Find the answer to that and stop trolling for something else to blame. This whole thing will only end up adding more distrust to an already over regulated industry. I started sailing in 1971 and it was way better , more relaxed and safer than today. When you smoke pot , you get right INTO the job . When you get drunk , you are useless.
[quote comment=””]As a retired Chief Engineer who sailed for 35 years on many different ships with many different sailors here is a HEADS UP. I have smoked pot before and after watch under all kinds of conditions . There is no way in the world that 3 people in the Wheelhouse , IF they were high on pot , could have been so stoned as too not see that the ship was off course , not with Radar and Computer Navigation Consoles running. The report said that the Helmswoman was alone , where were the two Navigation officers ? I don‘t think they were in their cabins rolling joints. Find the answer to that and stop trolling for something else to blame. This whole thing will only end up adding more distrust to an already over regulated industry. I started sailing in 1971 and it was way better , more relaxed and safer than today. When you smoke pot , you get right INTO the job . When you get drunk , you are useless.[/quote]
I got to agree with the comment that drinkig booze will make you useless, but that someking a dube might not make you that distracted. I am not condoning pot, but it does ring true.
i also got to side with the argument to quit looking for some side reason; find out WHAT those two were up to on the bridge. If they were distracted becuase they were having sex, or just not paying attention, JAIL them for derect (sp?) of duty.