by Peter Schwarzhoff Coastal communities, fisheries, environmentalists and boaters have fought with Prime Minister Stephen Harper over Coast Guard service and protection of our waterways for a long time now. The Conservatives callously put lives and coastlines at risk in their manic drive to reduce government services. The oil spill in English Bay underlines the folly of their short-sighted thinking.
All the while that Stephen Harper is eviscerating coastal search and rescue (SAR) and other marine services, John Duncan keeps his lips zipped. In the Harper world, courageous advocacy counter to the party line is a ticket to the back bench or worse.
The most recent Coast Guard service reductions will see closings of marine communications centres in Comox, Kitsilano and Tofino for centralization in Victoria and Prince Rupert. These centres are responsible for listening for distress calls and guiding ships, much like air traffic controllers. They also spread word about environmental disasters like oil spills.
In effecting the closures and service reductions, the Harper Conservatives fail to make a strong case for reducing the number of call centres. It appears the closures are about reducing government services, not efficiency. In the process, badly needed economic inputs in smaller communities disappear.
Why? Because the needs and welfare of smaller communities do not matter to this government. The BC coast does not seem to matter either. All the while, John Duncan cheers against the home team.
In 2011, the replacement of the Point Race cutter stationed at Campbell River with a new and arguably inferior model SAR vessel was a hot issue. In spite of professional advice against the replacement chosen, we now have vessels that are smaller with less emergency equipment and personnel capacity, less towing and fire-fighting capabilities, a limited range and less stability in stormy conditions.
At the same time, John Duncan, who previously referred to the replacement boats as “less capable” now dutifully defends the government decision to replace Point Race and Point Henry with this “less capable” model.
The Conservatives love governing but hate governments that provide services people need. They obsessively shrink government by cutting off its revenues. They argue the money should stay in the pockets of Canadians. By that logic, the Conservatives leave Canadians to fund essential emergency services on their own. Then the Conservatives spend millions of our taxes on advertising to tell us they deserve an A plus for balancing the budget in an election year.
The Conservative claim of a balanced budget begs the question: “How do they manage that after eight straight deficits?” It’s not magic, really. They sell off assets like the GM shares they got for bailing out the auto industry—against the advice of financial experts—on the backs of veterans, by allowing small craft harbours to deteriorate, cutting healthcare funding, eliminating scientific research, reducing food inspection and by showing arrogant indifference toward beautiful, pristine British Columbia.
Peter Schwarzhoff is the Liberal candidate for the newly formed North Island-Powell River federal riding.
