There is a big rally set for this Saturday in Vanier Park to protest against the federal government’s decision to close Kitsilano Coast Guard base.
The rally features NDP leader Adrian Dix, green party leader jane sterk, and mp’s from the federal ndp and liberal party’s.
Absent are anyone from the Conservative party.
Union of Canadian Transportation Employees regional VP Dave Clark
“Their decision has been public on it they have stayed on party lines if they want to reverse it then we can just have a party for this rally instead.”
Also conspicuously absent are the Premier or any BC Liberal MLA’s.
“The Premier was invited she did have a prior engagement and we did invite a couple other BC Liberals but everyone seemed to be busy this date.”
Clark says the decision risks lives.
He points to the Celebration of Light when a cruise ship collided with several other boats.
A vessel from Kits base was first on scene, in minutes.
“But the strange thing about it was that night as exactly that time the hovercraft was doing a rescue up the river 25 minutes away if we just subtract the one boat right there as there idea you can quickly see it, it actually didn’t work that night and it would have been a different situation than just a minor scuffing of two boats and a couple injuries on the boat.”
The Federal government insists safety will not be at risk when the base closes moving coast guard assets to Sea Island a half hour trip away from English Bay.
The rally goes Saturday at one in the afternoon.
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