Outrage is building over the decision by Ottawa to close the busiest Coast Guard station in Canada and public campaigns are being launched all over the place to save it.
Vancouver councillors, Park Board Commissioners, NDP MP’s and Coast Guard workers are urging people speak out and there seems to be no shortage of support. Unfortunately the message is getting spread out across a handful of outlets.
- Save Kits Base Facebook page – 587 likes
- Change.org petition – 498 signatures
- GoPetition.com petition – 121 signatures
- Plywood boards covered in messages of support outside the base
Photo: Dave White, News1130
The Coast Guard’s union claims 55 lives have been saved by the Kits team this year, nine this past long weekend alone. At a cost of $900,000 annually to carry out 300 rescues per year, it is hard to argue with the supporters. Now if only they can come together in one rescue effort themselves.
Have you pledged your support? And where did you do it?
Last modified: May 24, 2012
The closing of the Coast Guard station in Vancouver is going to hurt the Conservatives come the next election. That station has a lot of business in the summer, so to close the station shows a complete disrespect for the west coast population, a lot of people in the west supported the Conservatives. We don’t like being given all these closures as a thank you gift, so maybe Mr. Rae might be more thankful for a vote.
Stupid political move, remember the next election
don’t forget to sign the petition. a link to it can be found at savekitsbase.com or head to any local marina or marine store (downtown/kits area) as most have paper petitions on hand!
I have posted a few articles on the pending closure and want to offer my support any way I can to help keep the Kits Coast Guard open. I just put up a post outlining the simple letter writing campaign I am working on and would love to hear about other such campaigns going on at yacht clubs, sailing, rowing and kayaking clubs through out the city. I know they are happening but don’t have many details; where appropriate I would like to provide the information to my readers so that they too might get involved to support this worthy cause.
Thanks,
Katrina
Yachting Blogger http://www.boatingvancouver.wordpress.com
Why doesn’t the hapless Harper Government shut down ‘HMCS Discovery’ at Stanley Park instead. That’s a perk the Navy can do without.