FARLEY MOWATT IN SHELBURNE [CBC]
Jordan planning to bring forward abandoned vessel legislation?
Freshly minted Liberal MP Bernadette Jordan (South Shore-St. Margarets) convened a public meeting in Shelburne Tuesday night, designed to take the public pulse about issues surrounding the growing problem of abandoned and derelict vessels in harbours along the South Shore and elsewhere in Canada. Jordan's staff stressed that the meeting was also designed to "create buzz" about the abandoned ship issue.
After recent regional and national TV news stories featuring Shelburne's ongoing troubles surrounding the former Greenpeace vessel Farley Mowatt, the town has become the poster child for the seeming inability of coastal communities to rid themselves of the burdensome wrecks.
Problems with new private members bill
In a prepared speech, Jordan said that abandoned ships have been a problem on the South Shore for decades and that there are more than 600 abandoned vessels in Canada today. She said she "had problems" with the private members bill floated last week by NDP MP Sheila Malcolmson, as it thrust the onus of dealing with the unwanted vessels on the Canadian Coast Guard, which Jordan intimated did not have resources necessary to deal with the errant ships and their often problematic owners. "You have to tell me if you want the Coast Guard to sacrifice limited resources now attached to rescue operations," she told the crowd, without explaining how assuming the role outlined in Malcolmson's bill would cause such a sacrifice.
Burden to local comunities
In an email to SCT prior to the meeeting, Jordan said, "I am thrilled that this issue is gaining national attention, as this problem persists in coastal communities across the country. However, I do think it important that we address the root cause of the issue, and that is responsible ownership. At present, there is little recourse for Governments or property owners to challenge individuals who abandon vessels at ports or in harbours, and when disposal costs exceed the vessel value nothing deters the owner from dumping the vessel at the expense and burden of the local community. The fact that some owners repeatedly abuse our waterfronts speaks volumes for this legislative shortfall."
During the discussion at the meeting regarding the many "loopholes" used by vessel owners to avoid responsibility for their vessels, Shelburne mayor Karen Mattatall said that it cost taxpayers $400-500,000 to have the Farley Mowatt raised and pumped by the Coast Guard and she told Jordan, "We expect your government will do something to prevent this [abandoned vessels] from happening."
Local economist and Liberal party official Ed Cayer asked whether there would be any parliamentary committee hearings on the matter open to the public. Jordan said that the bill was a long way from the hearing process. Cayer then suggested the option of a "performance bond" for vessel owners.
One audience member lobbied loudly several times that "we should just have the wrecks pulled out and put on dry land", then let government lawyers "sort it all out."
Time for talking over
Shelburne Town councilor Roy O'Donnell said that he hoped that, since Liberals supported the predecessor of Malcolmson's bill, Jordan would lobby her Liberal MP colleagues to support similar measures. "The time for talking is over," he said, " and the time for solving is upon us."
Towns could make better contracts
Marine law attorney Sarah Shiels explained that making ship owners responsible will be no easy task, as there are currently no fines, no arrests, no warrants for irresponsible owners. "It's not even an offense to abandon a vessel," she said, explaining that it is often not worth it for wharf or harbour owners to pursue an owner, adding, "you can't get blood out of a stone."
When asked in a interview after the meeting if more careful crafting by towns and municipalities of berthing contacts could avoid some of the common problems faced by Shelburne and other towns, Shiels said "Absolutely."
Bill likely from Jordan
In the recent lottery for private members bills, Jordan ended up at number 30, quite high on the list. This means that any bill she brought forward would likely be heard well before Malcolmson's bill. When asked by SCT whether this bill would likely be on the abandoned vessel issue, Jordan's senior staffer said that he "couldn't imagine it being on any other issue."