Founded in 2010, the Canadian Lightkeepers Association promotes awareness and understanding of Canada's requirements for staffed lightstations. Specifically, we aim to: [more]

Bill Rompkey

Cheers to the Senate for report to keep lighthouses.

Posted Mon, 2010-12-27 22:13
Date Published: 
2010-12-27
Source: 
The Telegram: St John's, Nfld

Cheers: to members of the Senate actually making a clear point. You’ve got to appreciate the work a 12-member Senate committee has done in reviewing federal plans to destaff lighthouses across the country. The committee, led by Labrador Senator Bill Rompkey, has told the federal government that there’s a lot more to lighthouse duties than flicking a switch now and then. “(The government) has to realize that lighthouses and lightkeepers are an asset,” Rompkey said. “It’s people serving people. I think today, we’ve fallen in love with technology. … It’s become the answer to everything.

Lighthouse staffing supported

Posted Wed, 2010-12-22 10:30
Date Published: 
2010-12-22
Source: 
Nanaimo Daily News

The lighthouse on Nanaimo's Entrance Island will remain staffed for the time being if the federal government decides to follow recommendations of a Senate committee tasked to study the issue.

The federal government announced last year that it intended to destaff Entrance Island and three other B.C. lighthouses as a cost-saving measure, arguing that they are already fully automated.

Keep the lightkeepers, say senators

Posted Tue, 2010-12-21 22:30
Date Published: 
2010-12-21
Source: 
Campbell River Mirror

The plan to destaff lightstations should be halted while a thorough cost-benefit analysis is undertaken on every manned lighthouse, according to a federal Senate committee.

“Keep the keepers,” said Senator Bill Rompkey, chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans.

The committee released its interim report on lighthouses Tuesday during a teleconference from Ottawa.

Last year, the Canadian Coast Guard embarked on another plan to destaff the last 50 manned lightstations in the country, all of which are located on the B.C., Newfoundland and Labrador coasts.

Senate calls on coast guard to halt lighthouse destaffing plan.

Posted Tue, 2010-12-21 16:17
Date Published: 
2010-12-21
Source: 
Victoria Times-Colonist

The Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans is calling on the Canadian Coast Guard to halt its lighthouse destaffing plan.

Any destaffing, continued staffing or restaffing of lighthouses should only take place after consultation with lightkeepers, the committee’s report urges.

The report follows a recent visit by the committee members to lighthouses on the east and west coasts of Canada.

“The views we heard on both coasts were overwhelmingly in favour of keeping the keepers. And that is what we are unanimously recommending,” said Senator Bill Rompkey, committee chair.