Cargo vessels to be assessed
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Rankin Inlet (Apr 25/01) - Shippers along the west coast of Hudson Bay have to be legal to transport cargo.
That was the message at the Canadian Marine Advisory Council Northern meetings in Iqaluit earlier this month.
The meeting was attended by representatives of Transport Canada's Marine Branch, the Canadian Coast Guard, various shippers and government departments.
Jim Cameron, Shawn Maley and David Ittinuar attended from the Rankin Inlet office of the Department of Community Government and Transportation (CG&T).
Cameron says last year's tragic sinking of the Avataq was a wake-up call to Transport Canada, which is increasing its staff in the Winnipeg Region.
He says the department is adamant it will be assessing boats this year in the trade of carrying cargo.
"There is a proposed partnership between Transport Canada and CG&T to work together to avoid them coming to the Kivalliq and shutting everyone down," says Cameron.
"They will attempt to work with shippers to show them what they need to legally transport freight up and down the west coast of Hudson Bay.
"CG&T is also planning to translate the Small Fishing Vessel Safety Book into proper Inuktitut."
A move was also discussed which would see marine broadcasts for western Hudson Bay on Channel 16 rerouted to Iqaluit from Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Originating in Churchill, Manitoba, the information provided by Thunder Bay is only available in French and English.
Tom Watts, director of Nunavut Emergency Services, says the project would be an expensive one which is at least two years away, if at all.
"We're trying to work on it, but we're not getting anywhere right now," says Watts.
"We'd like to tie it in to the weather reporting we have going on now in Iqaluit, but we're just in the process of trying to get the partners involved, let alone the money.
"It's a federal program we're trying to change and if they don't come on board, it's not going to move."
