"What year is it anyway? Is this the 1600s, and is it time for 'beads and trinkets' yet again,"-- Ernie Hill, hereditary chief for Gitga'at, responding to the less than prompt action by BC Ferries to local concerns over the wreck of the sunken Queen of the North.
By refusing to act on a number of Canadian Coast Guard recommendations regarding the wreck of the Queen of the North, BC Ferries is creating a certain lack of goodwill in Hartley Bay.
That at least seems to be the impression of things, as the village prepares to take their case to court, after finding little success or even response from their recent dealings with the Ferry Service.
Comparing the gangplank and playground equipment provided by BC Ferries to the modern day equivalent of the beads and trinkets of the 1600’s, Ernie Hill, hereditary chief for Gitga'at is anxious for the Ferry Corporation to respond properly to its responsibilities.
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Citing concerns over their shellfish beds and other sources of traditional food sources, the people of Hartley bay are expecting something a little more tangible than the offerings thus far from the Ferry Corporation.
The local MLA for the region Gary Coons has been actively seeking details from the Ferry Corporation of late, but to no avail thus far. And he has been outspoken about the Ferry Corporations handling of the Harley Bay concerns and for their attitude towards the now tainted environment of the area in general.
He outlined some of his thoughts as part of an article in the Daily News on Tuesday.
The local MLA for the region Gary Coons has been actively seeking details from the Ferry Corporation of late, but to no avail thus far. And he has been outspoken about the Ferry Corporations handling of the Harley Bay concerns and for their attitude towards the now tainted environment of the area in general.
He outlined some of his thoughts as part of an article in the Daily News on Tuesday.
The story so far shows that while BC Ferries may have sent a gangplank to Hartley Bay, what they really may have to do is start to build bridges with the people living in the community
BC Ferries attacked for lack of action in village
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Pages one and three
A new gangplank for the community dock is little consolation for the people of Hartley Bay for the havoc caused by the sinking of the Queen of the North, said North Coast MLA Gary Coons.
Especially, he said, if the Gitga'at can no longer use the traditional food sources that lay at the end of that walkway because of the fuel leaking from the sunken wreck.
"I'm concerned that BC Ferries has not been held accountable for their inaction on this issue," said Coons.
"In my mind, it raises big questions about the laws protecting British Columbia's marine resources and local First Nations' access to traditional food sources."
Two weeks ago, legal counsel for the community said they would sue for damages, specifically to shellfish beds, from the oil that continues to rise from the Queen of the North.
The vessel struck Gil Island in March of 2006 and went down with 240,000 litres of fuel on board.
Coons said that ever since the sinking, BC Ferries has consistently refused to take seriously their responsibility toward the people of Hartley Bay.
He said the company refused to fully implement the coast guard's recommendations around the wreck, and has done little to compensate the residents lost access to traditional food resources.
"All they got was a gangplank and playground," said Coons.
At the time, when a B.C. Ferries official announced it would not do anything about the fuel potentially still on board the vessel, Ernie Hill, hereditary chief for Gitga'at, expressed the sentiment of the community.
"We suspect that all along this was the plan, but since the saying is that, 'time heals all wounds', we think that they hoped that the blood flow would only be a memory," said Hill.
"However, the scar on the beaches is real, and the threat of the unknown has done little to offer comfort. However, the corporation, has tried to redirect our emotions by attempting to placate us with a playground, and an aluminum gangplank.
"What year is it anyway? Is this the 1600s, and is it time for 'beads and trinkets' yet again," said Hill.
The Canadian Coast Guard made five recommendations to B.C. Ferries regarding the wreck, including designing and implementing a long-term environmental monitoring program, to examine the effects of contamination by fuel oil from the ferry; investigating the possibility of relocating aquaculture sites; and establishing pollution response equipment at Hartley Bay.
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"The refusal of BC Ferries Services to implement these simple recommendations has led to frustration among the people of Hartley Bay," said Coons. "It seems unfortunate that the heroes of this little community, who played such a big part in the rescue of the survivors from the Queen of the North, are being forced to sue to get action from BC Ferries Services."
"The refusal of BC Ferries Services to implement these simple recommendations has led to frustration among the people of Hartley Bay," said Coons. "It seems unfortunate that the heroes of this little community, who played such a big part in the rescue of the survivors from the Queen of the North, are being forced to sue to get action from BC Ferries Services."
Although Canada purports to have "polluter pays" laws around marine disasters, the Queen of the North incident highlights how little most corporations are expected to clean up, he said.
"I'm very concerned about the laxness of our laws around clean-up of marine accidents," said Coons. "The Queen of the North incident illustrates how little corporations are expected to do to clean up their messes. Cost shouldn't even be considered; if a corporation makes a mess they should clean it up immediately."
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