13-January 26, 2011 $2 at Selected Retailers Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement Nº 40020421
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StraitStrait ofof GeorgiaGeorgia Every Second Thursday & Online ‘24/7’ at UnitingUniting TheThe SalishSalish SeaSea ~~ FromFrom CoastCoast toto CoastCoast toto CoastCoast islandtides.com Volume 23 Number 1 January 13-January 26, 2011 $2 at Selected Retailers Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement Nº 40020421 Photo: Toby Snelgrove The winter blahs or after-the-party syndrome? Sealion takes a post-resolution snooze on the Southern Straits Belle Chain Islets on New Year’s Day. Commentary by Elizabeth May Special Report by Patrick Brown Cancun agreements—2010’s dramatic finale Crown seeks to bury BC Rail deal evidence It was a nice way to end a year peppered large amounts of money and look the Special Crown Prosecutor William Berardino is of BC Rail to CN. Basi and Virk were paid $6 with disappointments. other way as industrialized countries scheduled to appear in BC Supreme Court on million by the Province to cover their legal costs. In my last column for 2010, continue polluting—all led to a deep January 11, seeking an Order requiring the The testimony of witnesses, the only part of appearing on December 9, I wrote level of distrust as negotiations opened return of all evidence disclosed to the defense the trial which could be reported, was thus cut about the inspiring work of Canadian in Cancun. during the lengthy but abruptly wrapped-up short after the appearances of Martyn Brown, youth, using the example of pressing for By the time I arrived in Cancun on Basi-Virk trial process. former Chief of Staff to Premier Campbell, and climate action. Our young people were December 4, the atmosphere was But the BC Rail cat seems to be already out Brian Kenning, a former Director of BC Rail. out in force in Cancun, Mexico for the gloomy. Initially there were rumours of the bag; despite his surprise switch to a guilty Before the much-anticipated testimony of plea on October 18, David Basi is getting his former Finance Minister Gary Collins, plus 16th Conference of the Parties (COP) of that the Mexican host was also working the UN Framework Convention on on a secret text, as Denmark had done story out—releasing his memos from 2003. forty further witnesses, could take place. Climate Change. last year. Prospects for success were Berardino’s move continues a trend to Government’s Silence On The secrecy established during the Basi-Virk trail. They wore a powerful message on dampened when Canada, Russia and BC Rail Deal The trial was covered by a publication ban, their T-shirts. It was a quote from Japan were named as countries Premier Campbell and other members of the granted by Associate Chief Justice Anne Christina Ora, a young woman from the unwilling to commit to a second phase BCLiberal government have for years refused MacKenzie, forbidding media reports on any Solomon Islands, at last year’s COP: ‘You of Kyoto. The mood was not optimistic. to answer questions about the BC Rail sale, with proceedings that took place when the jury was have been negotiating all my life. You At the mid-point in negotiations, the excuse that the matter was ‘before the not present. cannot tell me you need more time.’ Sunday, December 5, the president of courts’ in the Basi-Virk corruption trial. After Unusually, this publication ban was Now for the rest of the story. the conference, Mexico’s Minister of the trial conclusion, the Premier has taken the retroactive, effectively stifling the reporting of After last year’s failure in Foreign Affairs, Patricia Espinosa, position since Basi and Virk were ‘convicted’ the years of pre-trial legal argument over the Copenhagen, few held out any hopes for convened an informal session of the BC Rail affair is closed. On October 19, Premier relevance of documentation from the Crown a good result in Cancun. The abuse and plenary. Espinosa used that Sunday Campbell referred to Basi and Virk as session for what amounted to a group requested by the defense. Much of this ‘criminals’. lack of trust in Copenhagen—the argument had centred on the processes, hijacking of negotiations to back-rooms therapy session. She set out how she David Basi Documents planned to work over the remaining administrative and political, which resulted in by Barack Obama, the repeated insults the eventual sale of BC Rail to CN. Rekindle Interest In BC Rail to various delegations, particularly (and week, emphasizing repeatedly that she would not hold secret discussions. She The trial was unexpectedly concluded in Deal inexplicably) China by the host explained that she was setting up a October; on the day Dave Basi and Bobby Virk However, the documents recently disclosed by government, the rich country gambit suddenly agreed to plead guilty to corruption Basi have rekindled interest in what actually CANCUN please turn to page 15 that developing countries would take charges in connection with the Province’s sale BC RAIL please turn to page 9 is available at these SERIOUS COFFEE locations — look for the ‘Island Tides’ yellow boxes or racks inside! Sidney—Beacon Avenue Mill Bay—Island Highway @ Frayne Rd Parksville—Heritage Centre Mall Nanaimo—Across from the Hospital South Duncan—Sun Valley Mall Courtenay—Southgate Centre, Cliffe Ave Nanaimo—Hammond Bay Rd Duncan—Cowichan Commons Mall Port Alberni—Shoppers Drugmart Plaza, 10th Ave Nanaimo—South Parkway Plaza Nanaimo—Hammond Bay Rd, CO-OP Campbell River—Island Highway near Larwood Rd Page 2, ISLAND TIDES, Jan 13, 2011 AT POINT ATKINSON JANUARY Day Time Ht./ft. Ht./m. Day Time Ht./ft. Ht./m. 0327 9.5 2.9 0639 15.7 4.8 Photo John Aitken 12 1013 14.4 4.4 20 1203 10.8 3.3 WE 1801 5.9 1.8 TH 1653 14.1 4.3 White on white, pampas grass bends under a snowload. 2358 1.6 0.5 0122 11.2 3.4 0707 16.1 4.9 13 0417 10.8 3.3 21 1251 9.5 2.9 TH 1043 14.1 4.3 FR 1751 13.8 4.2 Halt destaffing lighthouses, says Senate committee 1848 5.2 1.6 An interim report from the Standing Senate Committee on be determined on a lighthouse by lighthouse basis, after a 0250 12.1 3.7 0039 2.3 0.7 14 0539 11.8 3.6 22 0737 16.1 4.9 Fisheries and Oceans is titled ‘Seeing the Light’—and it looks complete review of the functions carried out, not only for FR 1119 14.1 4.3 SA 1342 8.5 2.6 as if the committee, which toured the BC coast in late navigation, but also for environmental monitoring, climate 1935 4.6 1.4 1852 13.1 4.0 November, actually did. (See an hilarious description of studies, sea-state reporting, whale research, search and 0349 13.1 4.0 0119 3.6 1.1 15 0728 12.5 3.8 23 0808 16.4 5.0 their visit to Saturna online at www.islandtides.com in our rescue, air navigation, coastal watch, security, and the safety SA 1204 13.8 4.2 SU 1435 7.2 2.2 Nov 25 edition, Saturna Notes page 10.) of coastal traffic, particularly smaller vessels. The 2022 3.6 1.1 1959 12.5 3.8 Since the 1970s, the Coast Guard has been systematically maintenance of navigational aids, particularly in poor 0431 13.8 4.2 0201 5.2 1.6 16 0850 12.5 3.8 24 0841 16.4 5.0 automating lighthouses and removing staff from them. In visibility, remains a problem that can only be dealt with by SU 1257 13.8 4.2 MO 1530 5.9 1.8 2108 2.6 0.8 2118 12.1 3.7 the 1990s, the object of the program was to phase out staff. lighthouse keepers at all remaining staffed lightstations, The recommendation extends to consideration of 0508 14.4 4.4 0246 7.2 2.2 17 0947 12.5 3.8 25 0915 16.1 4.9 which by that time were limited to British Columbia and restaffing currently automated lightstations. MO 1356 14.1 4.3 TU 1626 4.9 1.5 2152 2.0 0.6 2253 11.8 3.6 Newfoundland and Labrador. Following public protest The Recommendations 0540 15.1 4.6 0339 9.2 2.8 from both coasts, the program was halted in 1998. Recommendation 1: 18 1033 12.1 3.7 26 0952 15.4 4.7 The latest review by the Senate committee resulted in a The Committee recommends that the Canadian Coast TU 1456 14.1 4.3 WE 1724 4.3 1.3 2236 1.3 0.4 strong recommendation that the Coast Guard halt their Guard halt its current destaffing plan, and that destaffing, 0610 15.4 4.7 0041 12.5 3.8 practice of cyclical reviews aimed at a general elimination continued staffing, or restaffing be determined on a 19 1117 11.5 3.5 27 0448 10.8 3.3 of lighthouse staffing. These have been undertaken on the WE 1555 14.4 4.4 TH 1034 14.8 4.5 lightstation-by-lightstation basis through appropriate 2317 1.3 0.4 1823 3.6 1.1 basis that the automation of navigational aids makes guidelines and thorough consultations. Until this is lighthouse staff redundant everywhere. completed, current lightkeeper staff levels should be Instead, the committee recommends that staffing needs LIGHTHOUSES, please turn to page 12 Inland rainforest reprieve ignored AT FULFORD HARBOUR JANUARY The BC Ministry of Forests has ignored a logging than just timber...your opinions are important to us!’ moratorium recommended by BC’s Forest Practices Board However, residents of Crescent Spur, 60km away from Day Time Ht./ft.