Opponents to the Kitsilano Coast Guard base closure don’t plan on going out with a whimper. Last Saturday, a decent throng on demonstrators joined elected officials at a rally in Vanier Park, urging the fed gov to reconsider their decision. Check out footage from the rally above. The planned closure will take place in spring 2013. Opponents of the closure are convinced this will lead to more mariner deaths.
As reported by the Canadian Press:
Among the crowd were B.C. NDP leader Adrian Dix, New Democrat MP Fin Donnelly, Liberal MP Joyce Murray, and local politicians such as Vancouver city councillor Kerry Jang. Many urged Ottawa to acknowledge that it has made a mistake by deciding to shut down the base.
“If the prime minister changes his mind – Prime Minister Harper, whoever they send out – I will be the first within five minutes to publicly praise him for doing it,” Dix told the crowd.
The Vancouver base is the busiest coast guard base in Canada and responds to more than 350 calls a year. It has responded to 226 calls so far this year, said Dave Clark, a spokesman for the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees, which represents Coast Guard members.
Last modified: August 29, 2012
