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

De-staffing

Senator Raine Offers Apology

Posted Tue, 2010-05-11 18:37
Date Published: 
2010-05-05
Source: 
Senator Nancy Greene Raine

Mr. Ivan Bulic

Canadian Lightkeepers Association

Dear Ivan,

I have a lot to learn as a Senator, and was far too hasty in stating that I was “convinced
that we should be moving in the direction of de-staffing lighthouses.”

The information we had received, I now realize, was incomplete. Rest assured that I have
not made up my mind- and will look forward to hearing more reasons why light stations
should continue to be manned.

The testimony at yesterday’s committee meeting was very compelling. The two

Committee will visit lighthouses this fall

Posted Wed, 2010-05-05 23:09
Date Published: 
2010-05-04
Source: 
Joe Gough

Hello. I work for Senator Bill Rompkey, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. I note on your Lightkeeper website a statement suggesting that the Committee, in its lighthouse study, might not be visiting B.C. I don’t know how that idea got started. In any case, Senator Rompkey corrected it in the media last week, as you’ll see below.

Regards,

Joe Gough

Committee will visit lighthouses this fall

News Services

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Steve Bergh submission to the Senate Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans

Posted Wed, 2010-05-05 23:03
Date Published: 
2010-05-04
Source: 
Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans

Steve Bergh, President, BC Lightkeepers: Good evening, senators. I am the President of the BC Lightkeepers Local 20232 and have been a lightkeeper for 27 years. I am also a fisherman with 38 years’ experience. As a result, I have a good working knowledge of both the capacity of lightkeepers services to mariners and the fishermen's appreciation for the services provided by lightkeepers. I understand the navigational tools used by mariners and their benefits and limitations.

Greens call on Minister to keep staff in Lighthouses

Posted Tue, 2010-05-04 14:33
Date Published: 
2009-10-02
Source: 
Press Release

SIDNEY -- The Green Party of Canada is calling on Fisheries Minister Gail Shea to permanently reverse the decision of de-staffing thirty-six lighthouses on the east and west coasts of Canada. We congratulate Minister Shea for recently agreeing to put on hold this decision until further study has been conducted. We urge the Minister to make this short term decision permanent.

BC Senator Nancy Greene Raine biased on lighthouse de-staffing review, and should step down

Posted Sun, 2010-05-02 12:33
Date Published: 
2010-04-25
Source: 
CLA: Ivan Bulic

“BC Senator Nancy Greene Raine appears to have already made up her mind that lightkeepers should be eliminated from BC lighthouses,” said Ivan Bulic, spokesperson for the Canadian Lightkeepers Association.

“On April 20, during the first day of the Senate Standing Committee of Fisheries and Oceans Review of lighthouse de-staffing, Raine said she is ‘convinced that we should be moving in this direction’ of de-staffing lighthouses.

Review won't include visits to lighthouses

Posted Sun, 2010-05-02 12:13
Date Published: 
2010-04-27
Source: 
The Daily News, by Robert Barron

Lighthouse keepers on Vancouver Island fear the federal government
will move ahead with plans to eliminate their jobs.

The plan to destaff lighthouses on both Canadian coast would include
the structure on Nanaimo's Entrance Island.

Steve Bergh, president of B.C. Lightkeepers Local 20232, said that the
ongoing review of the services provided to lighthouse staff members by
a Senate standing committee in Ottawa (expected to be competed this
fall) has so far been dominated by presentations in favour of
destaffing.

Lighthouse Automation on Hold

Posted Sat, 2010-05-01 22:23
Date Published: 
2009-09-30
Source: 
CBC News

Fisheries Minister Gail Shea has ordered a review of the coast guard's plans to automate lighthouses in British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Shea said safety concerns have been raised by a number of parties over the gradual de-staffing of light stations in the two provinces, so no more automation will take place until the review is complete. Read more....