ConɀRConɀ
2013-10-08 23:25:12 UTC
First the Harper Cons closed coast guard stations on the west coast, now
they're using 'reopening and adding ships' as a bribe for the tarsands
pipeline.
Cons - they come by the name honestly. And Christy Clark - she comes by
the name of 'a Con in LIberal clothing' - just as honestly.
When did the Coast Guard - at taxpayer cost - become an insurance policy
for the tarsands oil companies ?
This was less than a year ago:
_________________________________________
Dec 6, 2012
Poll shows cuts to Canadian Coast Guard could cost Conservative cabinet
minister John Duncan his seat in Vancouver Island North
Poll shows cuts to Canadian Coast Guard could cost Conservative cabinet
minister John Duncan his seat in Vancouver Island North; voters strongly
oppose planned closure of Kitsilano Coast Guard Station and Vancouver,
Comox, Tofino Marine Communications & Traffic Services centres
Unions to target Conservative MPs with narrow election wins over Coast
Guard closures
And unions representing Coast Guard workers say things will only get
worse for BC Conservative MPs if they refuse to listen to public opinion
opposing closures.
The poll of 648 voters in Duncan’s riding found that 79% oppose the
planned closure of the Kitsilano Coast Guard Station and Marine
Communications & Traffic Services centres in Vancouver, Comox and Tofino
that direct and monitor vessels, with 64% strongly disagreeing with the
government decision. The Comox centre is in Duncan’s own riding.
And 76% of those polled by national research firm Strategic
Communications say Duncan’s support for Coast Guard closures makes them
less likely to vote for him and his party in the next election, with 62%
saying his position makes it much less likely.
Opposition to the closures includes 73% of voters who say they supported
Duncan in the 2011 federal election.
“The writing is on the wall for every Conservative Member of Parliament
who supports closing needed Canadian Coast Guard stations and centres in
BC,” says Dave Clark, Union of Canadian Transportation Employees BC
Regional Vice-President, representing workers at the Kitsilano Station.
“Voters will punish them for making a foolish decision and Coast Guard
workers will make sure they know who shut down emergency search and
rescue services.”
“Voters in Vancouver Island North know how important their Marine
Communications & Traffic Services centre in Comox is in coordinating
Coast Guard search and rescue operations and safely directing vessel
traffic at sea,” Hughes said from Comox. “To shut down such vital
services in Comox, in Vancouver and in Tofino and attempt to run them
remotely with cameras and radar is a recipe for maritime disasters.”
____________________________________________________
October 8, 2013 - Globe and Mail
Federal pledge to build coast guard ships a good sign for B.C. spill
response, Clark says
Days after raising concerns about Ottawa's support for marine-spill
response on the B.C. coast, Premier Christy Clark says she is "thankful"
the federal government is committed to doing better.
Ms. Clark offered the supportive comments Tuesday when asked about a
federal plan to spend $3.3-billion on up to 10 Canadian Coast Guard ships.
"For decades, the federal government has been withdrawing support for
Coast Guard on the west coast – the busiest port in this country. For
the first time in decades, we have a federal government that is
interested in fixing that problem," Ms. Clark told reporters following
an unrelated event.
"I am very thankful we have a federal government that seems to be
interested in helping us do that because we can't do it without them."
During an interview with CBC broadcast last weekend, Ms. Clark said the
federal government would not have the resources to deal with a major
spill disaster, noting "we are woefully under-resourced."
Ms. Clark has made "world-leading" marine-spill response one of B.C.'s
five conditions for approving such pipeline projects as Enbridge's
Northern Gateway initiative, which would deliver oil from the Alberta
oil sands to the B.C. coast.
The environment critic for the B.C. New Democrats said Ms. Clark's
comments on Tuesday suggest an inconsistent position.
"The position is as clear as tar sands oil," said Spencer Chandra Herbert.
"She's trying to be both leader of the opposition and premier. One day,
nothing is going well. The next day, everything is going well," he said.
He said he was surprised by her comments. "You don't go on national TV
and say, 'We're woefully under-resourced,' then the next day say,
'Things are going good.' "
Mr. Chandra-Herbert also noted that the new coast-guard ships announced
this week are years away from being built and deployed. The federal
government says the $3.3-billion will allow for up to five multitask
vessels and five offshore patrol vessels. Environmental response would
be among the roles of the ships.
"What if there was a spill tomorrow? Those ships wouldn't be ready; the
province wouldn't be ready; the federal government wouldn't be ready."
___________________________________________________________
Why should THE OIL COMPANIES be the ones to "be ready" ? Let THEM pay
for any added costs for ensuring no ocean oil spills. Not their cleanup.
they're using 'reopening and adding ships' as a bribe for the tarsands
pipeline.
Cons - they come by the name honestly. And Christy Clark - she comes by
the name of 'a Con in LIberal clothing' - just as honestly.
When did the Coast Guard - at taxpayer cost - become an insurance policy
for the tarsands oil companies ?
This was less than a year ago:
_________________________________________
Dec 6, 2012
Poll shows cuts to Canadian Coast Guard could cost Conservative cabinet
minister John Duncan his seat in Vancouver Island North
Poll shows cuts to Canadian Coast Guard could cost Conservative cabinet
minister John Duncan his seat in Vancouver Island North; voters strongly
oppose planned closure of Kitsilano Coast Guard Station and Vancouver,
Comox, Tofino Marine Communications & Traffic Services centres
Unions to target Conservative MPs with narrow election wins over Coast
Guard closures
And unions representing Coast Guard workers say things will only get
worse for BC Conservative MPs if they refuse to listen to public opinion
opposing closures.
The poll of 648 voters in Duncan’s riding found that 79% oppose the
planned closure of the Kitsilano Coast Guard Station and Marine
Communications & Traffic Services centres in Vancouver, Comox and Tofino
that direct and monitor vessels, with 64% strongly disagreeing with the
government decision. The Comox centre is in Duncan’s own riding.
And 76% of those polled by national research firm Strategic
Communications say Duncan’s support for Coast Guard closures makes them
less likely to vote for him and his party in the next election, with 62%
saying his position makes it much less likely.
Opposition to the closures includes 73% of voters who say they supported
Duncan in the 2011 federal election.
“The writing is on the wall for every Conservative Member of Parliament
who supports closing needed Canadian Coast Guard stations and centres in
BC,” says Dave Clark, Union of Canadian Transportation Employees BC
Regional Vice-President, representing workers at the Kitsilano Station.
“Voters will punish them for making a foolish decision and Coast Guard
workers will make sure they know who shut down emergency search and
rescue services.”
“Voters in Vancouver Island North know how important their Marine
Communications & Traffic Services centre in Comox is in coordinating
Coast Guard search and rescue operations and safely directing vessel
traffic at sea,” Hughes said from Comox. “To shut down such vital
services in Comox, in Vancouver and in Tofino and attempt to run them
remotely with cameras and radar is a recipe for maritime disasters.”
____________________________________________________
October 8, 2013 - Globe and Mail
Federal pledge to build coast guard ships a good sign for B.C. spill
response, Clark says
Days after raising concerns about Ottawa's support for marine-spill
response on the B.C. coast, Premier Christy Clark says she is "thankful"
the federal government is committed to doing better.
Ms. Clark offered the supportive comments Tuesday when asked about a
federal plan to spend $3.3-billion on up to 10 Canadian Coast Guard ships.
"For decades, the federal government has been withdrawing support for
Coast Guard on the west coast – the busiest port in this country. For
the first time in decades, we have a federal government that is
interested in fixing that problem," Ms. Clark told reporters following
an unrelated event.
"I am very thankful we have a federal government that seems to be
interested in helping us do that because we can't do it without them."
During an interview with CBC broadcast last weekend, Ms. Clark said the
federal government would not have the resources to deal with a major
spill disaster, noting "we are woefully under-resourced."
Ms. Clark has made "world-leading" marine-spill response one of B.C.'s
five conditions for approving such pipeline projects as Enbridge's
Northern Gateway initiative, which would deliver oil from the Alberta
oil sands to the B.C. coast.
The environment critic for the B.C. New Democrats said Ms. Clark's
comments on Tuesday suggest an inconsistent position.
"The position is as clear as tar sands oil," said Spencer Chandra Herbert.
"She's trying to be both leader of the opposition and premier. One day,
nothing is going well. The next day, everything is going well," he said.
He said he was surprised by her comments. "You don't go on national TV
and say, 'We're woefully under-resourced,' then the next day say,
'Things are going good.' "
Mr. Chandra-Herbert also noted that the new coast-guard ships announced
this week are years away from being built and deployed. The federal
government says the $3.3-billion will allow for up to five multitask
vessels and five offshore patrol vessels. Environmental response would
be among the roles of the ships.
"What if there was a spill tomorrow? Those ships wouldn't be ready; the
province wouldn't be ready; the federal government wouldn't be ready."
___________________________________________________________
Why should THE OIL COMPANIES be the ones to "be ready" ? Let THEM pay
for any added costs for ensuring no ocean oil spills. Not their cleanup.