Liberal MP wants to revisit decision to close Kits Coast Guard

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The closure of the Kitsilano Coast Guard base was not mentioned in an independent review of the MV Marathassa fuel spill. However, a local Liberal believes it’s time to revisit the issue.

The review recommends better communication plans, ensuring the Coast Guard has enough staff to respond to a major oil spill. “So it confirms that the Coast Guard failure led to more release of oil then would have happened if there had been a faster response,” explains the MP for Vancouver Quadra Joyce Murray. “”What we saw with that spill is they sat back and didn’t really take that leadership role.”

She says it’s clear that the former assistant commissioner of the Coast Guard doesn’t believe there was an adequate response April 8th on English Bay.

She believes the Federal Government and Coast Guard cannot be trusted to be honest, “where there has been a shortcoming in response, I think that that is concerning with the public. To not be able to believe what a minister and Coast Guard spokesperson are saying about an important incident like this.”

Despite claims to the contrary, Murray is convinced the Kits Coast Guard base would have had the equipment to help contain the fuel spill. She adds the busiest port in Canada needs to have emergency response available 24 hours a day.

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