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

Senate Fisheries Committee

Senators oppose lighthouse destaffing

Posted Sat, 2010-12-25 10:15
Date Published: 
2010-12-24
Source: 
Nanaimo News Bulletin: Rachel Stern

The senate committee is calling for an immediate halt to the lighthouse destaffing process and more information on the issue.

Vancouver Island lightkeepers and advocates are encouraged by the announcement, made Tuesday.

“This is a victory for the ordinary people on the coast,” said Ivan Bulic, a director of the Canadian Lightkeepers Association.

Alice Woods, acting president of the B.C. Lightkeepers Local 20232 PSAC, added that the senators clearly listened to the concerns of people on the coast.

Canada manned lighthouses defended by Senate report

Posted Tue, 2010-12-21 22:36
Date Published: 
2010-12-21
Source: 
Reuters

A Senate committee offered a beacon of hope for Canada's remaining manned lighthouses on Tuesday, saying the government should put on hold renewed efforts to eliminate what are viewed as symbols of the country's maritime past.

Canada's first lighthouse was built in 1734, but the government has been replacing the lightkeepers with automated equipment since the 1970s and only 51 manned stations remaining in operation.

Keep staffing Canada’s lighthouses, senators say.

Posted Tue, 2010-12-21 11:37
Date Published: 
2010-12-21
Source: 
Globe and Mail

A Senate committee that travelled to two provinces to study lighthouses in the country is recommending Ottawa continue staffing the facilities, for now.

The committee says the Department of Fisheries should halt its lighthouse de-staffing plan and suggests future decisions should be made on a case-by-case basis.

The senators say guidelines and consultations are needed to determine whether keepers should be maintained in Newfoundland and Labrador, and British Columbia.

Senate Committee to release report on lightkeepers.

Posted Tue, 2010-12-21 11:04
Date Published: 
2010-12-16
Source: 
Senate Fisheries and Oceans Ctte

Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans to hold press conference -

Tuesday, December 21, 2010: 1:00 p.m. E.T.
National Press Theatre, 150 Wellington Street, Ottawa

CLA presentation to Senate Lighthouse Ctte hearings in Nanaimo

Posted Fri, 2010-12-17 10:40
Date Published: 
2010-11-17
Source: 
Canadian Lightkeepers Association

CLA PRESENTATION TO SENATE LIGHTHOUSE COMMITTEE IN NANAIMO

The Canadian Lighthouse Committee made a presentation on November 17 to the Senate Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans in Nanaimo's Dorchester Hotel. (See below full text of CLA Submission.)

The Senators were in BC from November 16 to 20, " to meet with regional representatives and local residents whose lives and livelihoods are impacted by lighthouse operations from marine safety, heritage preservation and tourism.”

North Coast says 'no' to losing lighthouse staff

Posted Sun, 2010-11-21 20:39
Date Published: 
2010-11-20
Source: 
thenorthernview.com/Prince Rupert

The senators arrived early in the morning to be greeted by a small group of protesters outside the civic centre where the three hours of meetings took place. The senators heard, behind closed doors, from a variety of different groups, including representatives of floatplane operators, mariners and municipalities; all of who were against losing manned lighthouses.

Technology can fail at unmanned lighthouses.

Posted Sat, 2010-11-20 07:56
Date Published: 
2010-11-20
Source: 
Nanaimo Daily News

A committee studying the future of staffed lighthouses on both of Canada's coasts is hearing that automated lighthouses are not always reliable and technology can't perform the same tasks as lighthouse keepers.

Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal Senator Bill Rompkey, chairman of the standing Senate committee, said the group, which was at Nanaimo's Dorchester Hotel on Wednesday as part of its fact-finding mission, is hearing the same concerns from mariners and aviators on both coasts.

There are 12 senators on the committee and five of them were at the Dorchester.

Representatives Meet With Senators Over Lighthouse De-staffing.

Posted Thu, 2010-11-18 23:04
Date Published: 
2010-11-18
Source: 
By Jan Beecheer - WESTCOASTER.CA

By Jan Beecher NANAIMO — West coast aviators, mariners, lightkeepers and concerned citizens had 10 minutes each to speak to members of a Senate committee about the de-staffing of lighthouses Wednesday night.

Five senators representing the Senate Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans are on a tour of the B.C. coast this week as part of a study regarding the de-staffing of lighthouses.

They visited Nanaimo on Wednesday to hear input from individuals and representatives of organizations.

Nov 17.jpg

Senators' lighthouse inspections take off

Posted Thu, 2010-11-18 08:10
Date Published: 
2010-11-17
Source: 
Victoria Times-Colonist

Five senators took a coast guard helicopter flight to visit the lightkeeper at Carmanah Point yesterday, the first of a number of meetings with West Coast lightkeepers that will help determine their future.

Strong winds delayed the departure by a few hours and prevented the senators from visiting the lightkeeper at Pachena Point, near Bamfield. Bad weather had also affected the senators' recent tour of East Coast lighthouses.

Canadian senators touring west-coast lighthouses

Posted Wed, 2010-11-17 11:36
Date Published: 
2010-11-16
Source: 
Victoria Times-Colonist

Five senators climbed aboard a coast guard helicopter Tuesday to visit the lightkeeper at Carmanah Point, the first of a number of meetings with West Coast lightkeepers that will help determine their future.

Strong winds delayed the departure a few hours and prevented the senators from visiting the lightkeeper at Pachena Point, near Bamfield. Bad weather had also affected the senators' recent tour of East Coast lighthouses.

CG heli..jpg