Dear sir,
Re: the proposed ferry system for Kitimat and coastal villages, I and many others have some “little” questions to which I am sure there are some perfectly logical answers that the public would like to hear.
1) The proposed ferry would require a subsidy. The existing BC Ferries receives a substantial subsidy and has increased fares that put the trip out of reach for many families. Why should we, the taxpayer, subsidize two ferries.
2) Where would it be docked once here? You don’t usually buy a horse then look for a barn.
3) Is this a vehicle ferry? If so, who will be paying for the ramps in all the communities where the ferry docks? If it is one of those drop down type of apparatus for vehicles, then is the ferry a slave to the tides?
4) For passengers who walk on, will a bus meet the ferry in each area? How will the people getting off get around the various communities? Would there be facilities for tourists in the coastal communities or would they be pitching a tent on the beach?
5) The RTA Modernisation and KLNG projects appear to be reserving most of the available accommodation in town. Therefore, once arriving via ferry where will these people stay? Or would they be tenting it too? Or would a bus take them to Terrace, therefore no money coming here.
6) Regarding health care for the ferry people, the hospital already doesn’t have room for the people living here. Patients are kept in emergency beds for up to a week at a time waiting for beds in acute care or some other area.
Does the Northern Health Authority know something they are not sharing with the rest of us? Do our docs want bigger patient loads? If people come for daycare surgery and have no place to go after, no-one to pick them up, no-one to care for them and no place to sleep, then what?
7) Is this ferry daily, weekly, monthly or what?
These pre-election ideas sound great, but a lot of answers are needed.
Guess that’s what the task force is for.
Now two more observations on other subjects.
Is council going to do something about no BC Hydro person in our community so we don’t have to spend more time sitting in the dark every time there is a storm?
And finally, how do you like the T-shirts the Douglas Channel Watch group are sporting? No pipeline, no tankers, no problem.
They need to add a few lines: no jobs, no money, lotsa welfare.
Well, these are a few of my observations and comments for now.
When I see the fairy coming up the channel I’ll eat my words - and that’s a promise.
Keep smiling,
I’m watching and listening,
Roma Burnett.
Kitimat.