VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – With just months away from its imminent closure, people in support of saving the Kits Coast Guard gathered in an attempt to keep the base alive.
Close to a hundred people showed up at the Jericho Sailing Centre to hear speakers from various political parties and levels of government (with the exception of the federal Conservatives).
NDP Leader Adrian Dix is urging people to keep the campaign going.
“It’s important to continue on. In every effort where you try to change the mind of the government, until you do that, until the day they announce the decision that they’ve listened, it seems like they’re not going to listen and it’s why we have to keep the pressure on,” says Dix.
NDP MP for New Westminster-Coquitlam and Port Moody Fin Donnelly says the money saved is not worth people’s lives at risk.
“There was an opportunity to question the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans…I raised the issue and asked how much is this going to cost the people of Canada? The response was it’s $900,000 to operate, $200,000 to close. This is a $700,000 savings. So, over half a million dollars for a vital role that the Coast Guard plays in one of our busiest ports of the country…it’s ludicrous!” says Donnelly.
Other speakers included the leader of the BC Conservatives John Cummins, members of both the BC and federal Liberals as well as representatives from the City of Vancouver and Park Board.
Mandip Sandhu got emotional as he told the crowd about a water tragedy that devastated his family. Sandhu’s brother died in an accident 12 years ago when his vehicle crashed into the Fraser River.
Just days before the accident, the Coast Guard rescue dive program was axed to cut down on costs.
“If this base closes, and when someone is injured or killed, the burden of saying ‘I told you so’ will be something to many of us will have to bare and we can’t let this happen,” argues Sandhu.
“We’re faced with a similar threat to our safety. The Harper government wants to eliminate the Kitsilano Coast Guard Base in order to again save money.”
Guy, a recreational boater, says he will no longer feel safe in the water without the base.
“I feel secure about going out knowing there’s back up for me. If anything goes wrong I can call on the Coast Guard no matter where I am,” he points out.
Paul says the thought of being without the base nearby is scary for him and his friends when they hit the water.
“I’m into health and recreation as many of my friends who row with me here in Kitsilano, and literally we are all dead in the water if they close the station,” he says.
Earlier this month, the federal government announced a three-person inshore rescue team will set up in Stanley Park to offer service during the peak boating season in the summer.
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@ imachilling
Why don’t you stop wasting people’s time and shut the **** up. If you have something of importance to say in the matter than do it. You are wasting people’s time with your ignorance.
It’s very easy to convince the politician & beaurocrats that made the decision to close the Kits Coast Guard Station ; just dump them in the water without survival suits & make them tread water until the hovercraft arrives rescues them
Politicians only swim during election time. If christy crunch didn’t fly anywhere this year 250 000 dollars + her credit card bill 400 000 dollars + getting rid of Pamela martin’s job 130 000 dollars(not a real Job).
She could easily fund the Coast guard by herself. Or else we could simply ask all boat owners near there to pay 250 dollars a year coast guard fee. We all know how expensive boats are. Its time for a user pay system out there on the blue seas.
There was a search and rescue operation in False Creek at 4:30 am this morning, with the hovercraft coming through False Creek at 21kts to respond. The wake it threw knocked everything to hell down here, and likely caused considerable damage. When the “Osprey” (their smaller boat) did the same a few years, our marinas & boats had thousands in damages… I cant imagine what would happen if they had to respond like that during daylight hours, with the creek heavily populated!! Is this what the future holds when someone jumps (a monthly occurrence)? Unconfirmed as of yet, but rumour is that the jumper was Cory Schneider.
LOL
the problem with the jumping incident with C shneider was that
Luongo wating behind him too.
I don’t stand behind anyone at the Kits coast Guard. Except the guy with the 5000 dollar
hair piece. With a hair piece like that imagine how fat is wallet is?
@ Gibsmedat,
Though you make some valid points with regards to individual responsabilities, you must remember that both those working or playing on the water pay taxes as well. They are just as entitled to emergency response on the water as those rock climbing or hiking on land for that matter. People seem to easily forget the fact that maritime emergency response is a responsibility that lies within the federal government and one which all Canadians are entitled to. Just as emergency health services, fire and police enforcement lie within municipalities. Just because a few choose to enjoy sailing as opposed to hiking, doesn’t mean they should have to pay extra on top of their taxes for that help when required. When it comes to the service Kitsilano has provided for decades, I think most people would agree you checked your common sense at the door prior to your comment that the English bay and false creek area would be better served without them. Please explain how that makes any sense. You are trying to replace paid professionals with well intentioned amateurs? Though volunteers are essential in under serviced areas, which was the purpose of their formation, they lack the medical training, seamanship, emergency management and most of all experience. You cannot tell myself or the public that replacing an advanced care ambulance crew with well intentioned basic first aiders is a responsible decision. If you do, then I feel sort for any family member of your that falls ill and requires these essential services. Because though their heart is in the right place, in the end they fall short of providing the necessary medical tools to save someone’s life. Gibsmedat, if you truly believe that a measly $700,000 is well worth it and that SAR area is better served, then I think everyone can agree your not the sharpest knife in the drawer. The problem with this whole scenario had happened before with the dive team and I can guarantee will happen again with this. They tried to axe the dive team to save some pennies and when lives perished, a public enquiry costing taxpayers millions was held only to reinstate the dive team permanently. Now tell me where the savings were in this instance? Is this blatant disregard for public safety really going to be worth the measly savings? Absolutely not!!! Mine and the people of vancouver is thoroughly behind every worker at kits base and expect our government to repect what the people of BC want and pay for, the Coast Guards continued dedication to public safety.
Premier Christy Clark raised a few eyebrows in June when she hired former CTV news anchor Pamela Martin to a $130,000 a year job as director of outreach in the premier’s office.
Her job description, as explained to Vancouver Sun reporter Jonathan Fowlie at the time, was to “improve public awareness and engagement and ensure communication is a two-way conversation,” and “help the public’s concerns be translated into action by sharing with the Premier the challenge British Columbians face navigating government.” Martin had also worked on Clark’s leadership campaign.
So what has Martin been doing in her new job? We recently used the Freedom of Information Act to request her meeting calendar and any documents produced during her first month on the job.
Her calendar says she had work-related events on 25 days between June 25 and July 28. Some included weekends and night events – such as acting as master of ceremonies at a “Persian Community event” on July 15 or attending the Canada Cup closing ceremonies – others included just a couple of hours in the office.
She spent the bulk of her time in briefings and meetings with premier office staff, but accompanied Clark on trips to Smithers, Terrace and Nanaimo. She also met with representatives from the United Way of the Lower Mainland, the B.C. Special Olympics, the Aboriginal Mothers Centre, and the Kelty Patrick Foundation which works to prevent depression-related suicides in youth.
Martin’s official agenda set aside 16 hours for calls and emails, eight of which were specifically for correspondence. She produced nine emails during this time, according to the results of a separate FOI in which we asked for copies of any work-related documents she produced, including emails, etc.
One email forwarded on a request from B.C. Treaty commissioner Sophie Pierre to meet with the premier, another forwarded concerns about the availability of Qualicum Beach dermatologists to the ministry of health. Six of her nine emails were mainly form letters sent to people from Terrace and Smithers, in which she informed people she’d added them to the premier’s e-newsletter and provided Clark’s facebook address and a link to the government newsroom.
If she produced any other work-related documents during this time, they weren’t given to us despite our FOI request.
When all the political opportunists come out of the woodwork protesting this decision one has to consider that the Federal Conservatives may have done something good by taking at least a small measure to scale down its operations.
Sailing and other water sports are great fun, but they are somewhat risky and responsible people need to take that into consideration when they go out on the water. Citizens should not assume that the government is there like a guardian angel to solve all their self-inflicted problems but instead take reasonable steps to protect themselves and become more self-reliant. This includes self-organizing rescue groups, improving their own skills and equipment, paying more attention to boating in a safe manner, and more carefully considering weather and sea conditions in relation to their own skills and abilities.
In addition to the above and despite what the self-serving opposition politicians say, Burrard Inlet / English Bay will not be abandoned and left without any services. The area will be still serviced by the Richmond CG station, the new summer-only unit run by the federal government, plus a number of volunteer organizations operating in the area that put together will provide the same if not better service than what the small Kitsilano CG base was able to do.
Like the BC Liberals, the Conservative Party is doomed in the province of British Columbia. I really cannot see the majority of their members of parliament being reelected come the next federal election. I just cannot.
If you do it Harper YOU will pay the Consequences (Sic)