The Senate Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans will be undertaking a Review of services provided by the lightkeepers that currently staff Canada's 51 lightstations. 27 of those lights are located on the BC Coast.
The Coast Guard announced plans for lighstation de-staffing last year. However, on September 30, 2009 Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, issued a statement saying that the final decision on de-staffing would not occur until a comprehensive review of all lightkeeper services was conducted.
"The Minister has taken steps to ensure that the Review of our lightstations is going to be credible and impartial, and that stakeholders will have a chance to participate," said John Duncan, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Island North. "I am pleased that the Senate Committee will be undertaking the Review and am confident that the people of the BC Coast will make a strong case for the continued staffing of our lightstations."
Minister Shea appeared before the Senate Committee yesterday to answer questions from Committee members. In the coming weeks and months the Committee will review all of the services currently provided by lightkeepers and make recommendations about the ongoing provision of those services.
"I encourage all British Columbians who have an opinion on this issue to make their views known to the committee," said Duncan.
The contact information for the Senate Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans is as follows:
Phone: 1-800-267-7362
Fax: (613) 947-2104
E-mail: fish-peche@sen.parl.gc.ca
Mail : Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans
The Senate of Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A4