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For earlier materials see
Table of Contents

December 17th

We See

Billets & BC Ferries

Spring??

 

At council meeting Monday it was said that Northern BC Winter games logo was created by local Tsimshian artist Russell Mather  (and my previous on Russell) ---- Signs pleading for more Billet homes  -- see the Northern Winter Games 2010 and their Billet Host Information – with links. Requirements: food, transportation etc

 

Wednesday strange day with temperature hovering around freezing point

But the young fellow (above) retuning from school ‘celebrated’ the warmer weather by wearing his shorts to school (and yes I asked his permission to take photo first)

 

Federal government puts 24M$(?)/year into BC Ferries – above seems to be copy of the original paperwork (full document here) – This $$ is now spread throughout the Ferry system and the ‘debate’ becomes what was that the original intent etc ---- Here is an interesting 2005 Evaluation of Transport Canada’s Grant to the Province of British Columbia for the Provision of Ferry Services – which gives good details

Bruce Wishart at Monday’s Council meeting to discuss BC Ferries

This is a complicated ‘file’ – most immediately it concerns the ‘privatized’ BC Ferry decision to alter the run from Rupert run so that during summer it terminates in Vancouver --- the effect will be loss of 20 sailings from PR --- plus now crews will muster in Vancouver (threatening local jobs?)

 

But it also calls into question the role of BC Ferries and how the public has inputs into its decision – thus Councillor Gordon Payne said she was shocked how rudely the Ferry’s Board treated a local citizen at the November 30th ‘public input’ session ----- and a recent Comptroller General’s report (1.4 meg PDF--a must read) similarly ‘alarmed’ by how much the chief executive paid plus how conflicted the governance model for the ‘privatized’ corporation is—thus quote frm Executive summary below:  (more later)

 

‘In both organizations, the governance models should be strengthened to ensure that they meet their public service mandates while protecting the interests of users and taxpayers. As a solution, we have proposed a common governance framework that requires more accountability from the companies and their Boards, stronger oversight by the groups who are effectively the operating companies’ shareholders, and stronger roles for the Commissions’.
From
Comptroller General’s report exec summary

One suspects that the above (new) Ferries are more suited to ‘cruise ships’ (too few cabins and parking floor area) than providing locals with a means of transportation --- thus the move to Vancouver terminus meant to tap into that ‘supposed’ market than the current tourism model where ‘circle tours’ etc promoted—but so much of the real info – is closely guarded trade secret (the we can’t tell you because of potential competitors response) See also the supposed public ‘sic’ watchdogs http://www.bcferryauthority.com/ and http://www.bcferrycommission.com/

 

 

Using public sidewalk as show room --- and who is covering the liability?

3rd Avenue

Well at least the owner is not haranguing me lately with orders to walk on the other side of the street, etc – I solved that by recording his tirades on a small voice recorder – I suspect he did not know what it was, but one of the younger people who worked there saw it and knew what its purpose was --- so now all I have to do is pull it out and he goes silent

 

Cold weather means more wood burning smoke ---

For health effects of fine particulate matter – especially PM2.5 which so small it can pass via lungs into arteries see the Wikipeda article and links from there

 

 

And wasn’t Rupert going to reduce its Carnon emissions by some ‘green washing’ amount by 2012 – wasn’t it carbon Neutral for City or some such?

Eco-Friendly?? Sidewalk is electrically heated when slippery

Created by LG on 16/12/2009

Last updated on Thursday, December 17, 2009