Liberal MP Joyce Murray condemns Conservative government's closure of Kitsilano rescue centre

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      The federal government's plan to close a Vancouver marine-rescue station has drawn the ire of the local Liberal MP.

      Joyce Murray, who represents Vancouver Quadra, declared that the closure of the Canadian Coast Guard Kitsilano Search and Rescue Station by 2015 "will have a significantly detrimental effect on the marine community in the busiest port in Canada".

      “Search and Rescue service to the Port of Metro Vancouver will from now on be provided from the Sea Island S & R station," Murray said. "The government insists that ’[The bases] are located only 17 nautical miles apart,’ revealing their lack of practical and local knowledge of the marine-safety services that are required in B.C.’s Lower Mainland. These cuts will very likely result in the preventable loss of life from marine accidents and emergencies.”

      The Kitsilano station is staffed on a 24-hour basis.

      Mike Cotter, general manager of the Jericho Centre Sailing Association, told the Straight last year that 90 percent of recreational boating fatalities involve people who do not wear personal flotation devices. “There are certain risks inherent with any small craft,” he noted at the time, citing collisions and hypothermia as two examples.

      The Conservative government has also announced the closure of similar centres in Comox and Tofino by 2015.

      Meanwhile, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has said that it is "modernizing" 12 marine communications and traffic services centres across Canada. They will have "state-of-the-art technology in order to ensure consistent and uninterrupted communication and traffic services to mariners".

      “The safety of Canadians and mariners is the top priority of the Canadian Coast Guard,” Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Keith Ashfield claimed in a news release.

      Two of the 12 centres slated for improvement are in B.C.—in Sidney and Prince Rupert—but none are in the Lower Mainland.

      Comments

      9 Comments

      L.McCutcheon

      May 19, 2012 at 1:28pm

      we are aware that the minister of fisheries "knows all "he is even in the process of reclassifying fish, like "good" fish and "bad" fish. Perhaps his concern for Canadian boaters is similiar in scope "good canadians(conservatives) bad canadians (everyone else)

      Linda

      May 19, 2012 at 2:38pm

      It just goes to show, how little Harper knows about BC's coast. Same with the Enbridge pipeline and the dirty oil tankers. They just don't have a clue.

      Recently there were three freighters caught in one of BC's coastal vicious storms. The storm tore off the ships cargo's, One ship put out a distress call. Fishing boats and pleasure boats, can all get into serious trouble. Just as BC Ferries do. Time is of the essence, to save the crews, and people on pleasure crafts. That water is damned cold. Hypothermia sets in very quickly.

      Harper has it in for BC, because BC citizens are objecting to the Enbridge pipeline and the dirty oil tankers. They don't call Harper, spiteful Stevie for nothing.

      kits resident

      May 19, 2012 at 4:32pm

      What do you expect from a dope who helped Gordon Campbell build his little $2 zillion choo-choo train to Richmond... for the owelimpics, as a result transit is decimated financially in Metro Vancouver.

      Dopey mayors are trying to tax drivers to keep transit running while spending another few zillion for another choo-choo for developers to tear down home with laundered drug money and to replace the homes with condoooos.

      Pat

      May 20, 2012 at 6:27pm

      The coast guard station is still a relatively new building constructed in the 90s to replace the one that burned down.

      The coast guard responds to distress calls several times a day in the summer, and this response won't be nearly as efficient with only a single hovercraft over in Richmond.

      Not a whole lot about this decision makes sense.

      Pat

      May 20, 2012 at 6:36pm

      I'm hoping there's an outcry of protest about this.

      Harper probably couldn't care less about 99% of people on the water here ... but several boat owners at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club and the marina on the north shore of False Creek by Yaletown are part of the moneyed 1%.

      The super rich are Harper's base and fund his election campaigns, so maybe he'll buckle if they make their displeasure known.

      P Wosnum

      May 20, 2012 at 10:46pm

      The aren't just closing the Kits SAR station they are also closing and moving the coast guard radio and traffic centre. They regulate the movements of all that increased tanker traffic through the harbour and the BC Ferries from Horseshoe Bay. I can't imagine they would be able to effectively see the harbour from a windowless building in Victoria! I guess they will allocate the money into oil spill clean up! That will look nice all over the seawall!

      blueheron

      May 21, 2012 at 3:06pm

      Let's stop subsidizing the CBC and instead keep the marine safety stations, lighthouses and Coast Guard well funded.

      It's all about priorities, fer crying out loud.

      e.a.f.

      May 21, 2012 at 3:53pm

      Who knows, maybe one of stevie slime's friends wants the land the Kits. coast guard station sits on. Nice if you can get it.

      There is no way anything will get from Richmond to the Vancouver Harbour in time to save people if a seaplane crashes, a barge catchs on fire, etc.

      Now as I understand it, Stevie is doing this to save $11M. So who will be the lucky Conservative M.P. who gets to tell a family their loved one died because Stevie wanted to save $11M.

      Closing the Comox Coast Guard station makes about as much sense. We have fishing & recreational boats around here & ferries. If one of them gets into trouble, & they all do, something from Victoria will not arrive in time to do anything. More dead Canadians. Will M.P. John Duncan come & tell the families of the deceased, they died so Stevie slime could save $11M?

      Stevie & his slimers have spent $28B in Afganistan & will spend another $110M a yr there. Canada has given enough people & money to the corrupt Afgan government. We need to keep this money at home & keep our Coast Guard stations, marine biologiest, & provide adequate food, housing, education, health care for Canadian citizens, not to mention adequate funding for injured veterans.

      Astro

      May 21, 2012 at 4:18pm

      Look on the bright side. Peter MacKay won't be visiting the Vancouver area.