Pubdate: Thu, 25 Oct 2007
Source: Queen Charlotte Observer (CN BC)
Copyright: 2007 Queen Charlotte Observer.
Contact:  http://www.qciobserver.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2681

POT AND THE FERRY

The Transportation Safety Board last  week raised some disturbing
concerns about regular  cannabis use by crew members aboard the Queen
of the  North. As part of the board's ongoing investigation  into the
sinking of the QN, it released Oct. 17 a  "board concern" outlining
its findings, and urging BC  Ferries to figure out as soon as possible
whether drug  use is a problem on other vessels in the northern  fleet.

According to the two-page report, the revelations about  regular
cannabis use came to light during the board's  extensive interviews
with crew members. It seems that  some workers were using the drug
between shifts, both  on and off board the QN. While none of them said
that  any employees had used drugs while working, the safety  board
points to studies which have shown that cannabis  use can affect
performance, memory, attention and  coordination for up to 24 hours
after the initial high.  By that time, a worker who had smoked up
while off duty  could very well be back on their shift; another
concern  is that all workers on the vessel could be called upon  in
the event of an emergency, whether on duty or not.

Apparently, BC Ferries has a "no tolerance" policy for  alcohol and
drugs, which means that employees can be  terminated if they
contravene the policy. The northern  vessels are unique in the fleet
in that employees must  live aboard them for days at a time, and BC
Ferries'  policy is that crew members are not allowed to consume  or
even to have in their possession alcohol or other  mood-altering
substances for the entire period of time  while they are on the ship.
But evidently, this policy  was either not communicated clearly or not
enforced.

We are still waiting for the safety board's full  investigation into
the March 2006 sinking. In this most  recent update the board says
that there is absolutely  no evidence any of the QN's bridge crew was
impaired at  the time of the collision and sinking. (Although we  will
never know for sure because no drug or alcohol  tests were conducted
in the aftermath of the tragedy.)

What seems obvious to regular passengers on the BC  Ferries system
here in the north is that the same  substance abuse problem found on
the Queen of the North  is extremely likely to exist on the Queen of
Prince  Rupert and the Northern Adventure, which ply the same  waters,
under the same conditions, with the same crew  members. The union and
BC Ferries must work together,  and take immediate action to ensure
that northern  passengers are as safe as possible by implementing a 
program of mandatory drug and alcohol testing. A week  after the
safety board released its concern, it's still  not clear how BC
Ferries and the union intend to deal  with this crucial safety issue.
Does this have anything  to do with the fact that the drug use concern
was  confined to a northern ship, and that the busy summer  season
with its boatloads of tourists is now over?
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin