fishingbc
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Is Duncan headed for a dunkin'?
Dan MacLennanCourier-Islander
Thursday, February 24, 2011
CREDIT: Photo courtesy the Comox Valley EchoRecreational anglers protested outside North Island MP John Duncan's Courtenay office Monday. They, like others who want to keep the Coast Guard cutter Point Race in service, are upset with Duncan's lack of vocal support on two vital west coast issues.What good is a cabinet minister MP if he won't speak out on behalf of his constituents?
That's what some, including New Democrat MP Nathan Cullen (Skeena-Bulkley Valley), are wondering about Vancouver Island North MP John Duncan and his virtual silence on the Point Race replacement issue.
"I thought the whole pitch they made was 'put them into government and then you'll have some real influence in Ottawa,'" Cullen told the Courier-Islander. "This is the opposite. The North Island somehow has less influence even though they have a minister sitting at the cabinet table, right to the right-hand side of the Fisheries Minister.
"This is offensive. It's a serious (safety) downgrade and the silence from the minister is deafening. He understands this issue. He can't plead ignorance and this is a decision that's going to put more lives at risk."
With the 70-foot Coast Guard cutters Point Race in Campbell River and Point Henry in Prince Rupert slated to be replaced by smaller 47-foot motor lifeboats, old battle lines have been drawn again. Cullen is fighting to save the Point Henry and publicly wondering why Duncan isn't doing the same for the Point Race. As an MP in opposition, Duncan had been among those defending the cutter in 2005, saying "the Coast Guard initiative would retire excellent condition and highly appropriate and capable 70-foot boats with less capable 47-foot lifeboats in order to try to save two man-years."
At the time, Duncan even warned the Liberal Fisheries Minister about the possible election consequences of such a move. But Duncan's response to the latest replacement plan has been markedly different. His first response to inquiries from the Courier-Islander in December was to say through his press secretary "this decision is one that will be taken by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans I would encourage you to contact them directly."
Another attempt to gain comment from Duncan brought a brief, prepared response in January where the MP spoke of the cutter in the past tense. "The Point Race has served our region very well," he said. "Fleet renewal and standardization is a national imperative of the Coast Guard."
Cullen hopes Duncan "comes to his senses" because lives are at stake. "John knows this issue," he said. "If he was vocal on it in opposition, he should be equally as vocal on it in government. "It seems like a no-brainer to me. It's not even political in the sense of right wing or left wing. It's just basic common sense. You can't run a fishing boat, you can't have recreational boaters out there if you don't have even some basic safety. We're not talking Rolls Royces here.
"We're going to open up the newspaper at some point after this change and read about some tragedy that could have been averted if we had proper boats on the water." Meanwhile sport fishers are less than pleased with Duncan's response to their halibut allocation concerns. A group protested outside Duncan's Courtenay offices Monday morning. They're unhappy with Fisheries Minister's decision to maintain the halibut catch allocation at 88 per cent for commercial fishers and 12 per cent for the recreational sector.
"This decision could hurt a lot of businesses on the Island, from motels and tackle shops to marinas and campgrounds, and yet John Duncan continues to dodge and weave and ignore our concerns," said Bryan Allen, sports fishing director for the Courtenay Fish and Game Club. "If he thinks there is no price to pay politically for supporting a handful of commercial guys over tens of thousands of B.C. anglers, he's wrong."
Duncan, however, doesn't want to advocate or interfere in the management of fish. He said critics don't understand his role in government. As the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development he can't get involved in other ministers' mandates.
"I am not the Minister of Fisheries, but I am a Minister and therefore I do not publicly offer solutions to areas in which I do not have a mandate," he said in a recent response to a concerned recreational fishing representative.
The header on Duncan's website shows him next to a picture of a Fisheries and Oceans/Coast Guard vessel.
- with files from the Comox Valley Echo
Dan MacLennanCourier-Islander
Thursday, February 24, 2011
That's what some, including New Democrat MP Nathan Cullen (Skeena-Bulkley Valley), are wondering about Vancouver Island North MP John Duncan and his virtual silence on the Point Race replacement issue.
"I thought the whole pitch they made was 'put them into government and then you'll have some real influence in Ottawa,'" Cullen told the Courier-Islander. "This is the opposite. The North Island somehow has less influence even though they have a minister sitting at the cabinet table, right to the right-hand side of the Fisheries Minister.
"This is offensive. It's a serious (safety) downgrade and the silence from the minister is deafening. He understands this issue. He can't plead ignorance and this is a decision that's going to put more lives at risk."
With the 70-foot Coast Guard cutters Point Race in Campbell River and Point Henry in Prince Rupert slated to be replaced by smaller 47-foot motor lifeboats, old battle lines have been drawn again. Cullen is fighting to save the Point Henry and publicly wondering why Duncan isn't doing the same for the Point Race. As an MP in opposition, Duncan had been among those defending the cutter in 2005, saying "the Coast Guard initiative would retire excellent condition and highly appropriate and capable 70-foot boats with less capable 47-foot lifeboats in order to try to save two man-years."
At the time, Duncan even warned the Liberal Fisheries Minister about the possible election consequences of such a move. But Duncan's response to the latest replacement plan has been markedly different. His first response to inquiries from the Courier-Islander in December was to say through his press secretary "this decision is one that will be taken by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans I would encourage you to contact them directly."
Another attempt to gain comment from Duncan brought a brief, prepared response in January where the MP spoke of the cutter in the past tense. "The Point Race has served our region very well," he said. "Fleet renewal and standardization is a national imperative of the Coast Guard."
Cullen hopes Duncan "comes to his senses" because lives are at stake. "John knows this issue," he said. "If he was vocal on it in opposition, he should be equally as vocal on it in government. "It seems like a no-brainer to me. It's not even political in the sense of right wing or left wing. It's just basic common sense. You can't run a fishing boat, you can't have recreational boaters out there if you don't have even some basic safety. We're not talking Rolls Royces here.
"We're going to open up the newspaper at some point after this change and read about some tragedy that could have been averted if we had proper boats on the water." Meanwhile sport fishers are less than pleased with Duncan's response to their halibut allocation concerns. A group protested outside Duncan's Courtenay offices Monday morning. They're unhappy with Fisheries Minister's decision to maintain the halibut catch allocation at 88 per cent for commercial fishers and 12 per cent for the recreational sector.
"This decision could hurt a lot of businesses on the Island, from motels and tackle shops to marinas and campgrounds, and yet John Duncan continues to dodge and weave and ignore our concerns," said Bryan Allen, sports fishing director for the Courtenay Fish and Game Club. "If he thinks there is no price to pay politically for supporting a handful of commercial guys over tens of thousands of B.C. anglers, he's wrong."
Duncan, however, doesn't want to advocate or interfere in the management of fish. He said critics don't understand his role in government. As the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development he can't get involved in other ministers' mandates.
"I am not the Minister of Fisheries, but I am a Minister and therefore I do not publicly offer solutions to areas in which I do not have a mandate," he said in a recent response to a concerned recreational fishing representative.
The header on Duncan's website shows him next to a picture of a Fisheries and Oceans/Coast Guard vessel.
- with files from the Comox Valley Echo
© Courier-Islander (Campbell River) 2011
