Let’s keep at it, says MP Joe Peschisolido re Port Agency

MP Joe Peschisolido has indicated a need to “blow up” the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA). Despite the pyrotechnic glint in his eye, he simply means that VFPA would be easier to replace than to fix.

If local council members, environmental groups and individuals do their part, they can succeed with MP Joe and the federal Liberal Marine Ports Caucus, which he chairs. If that process gets the foreseeable results, it will be very good for BC’s ecological health, especially that of the Fraser Estuary and Salish Sea, and it will be good for the Pacific trade of Western Canada.

Why is MP Joe Peschisolido doing this?

He represents the Fraser River Estuary riding of Richmond-Steveston. He has knocked on many doors to hear constituents. He has also listened at his town hall meetings and to Richmond Council. He has heard much about the need for VFPA to change. While doing his job, with his listening and research, MP Joe has become a committed advocate for saving the ecological life of the Fraser from unbridled industrialization, as well as for combining commerce values with environmental ones in general.

In short, there has been longtime disappointment that Vancouver Fraser Port Authority does not collaborate with stakeholders—ports, terminals, all governments, organizations, etc., in BC and beyond, resolving concerns like these ones that the Fraser Voices Association (Richmond-based) and Against Port Expansion (Delta-based) put together. (Click on “concerns . .. ” for thorough, highly informed lists.)

Robin Silvester, CEO of VFPA, famously stated, “I don’t think we would be bound [by the Agricultural Land Reserve]. As a federal body here at Port Metro Vancouver, we have supremacy,” he said.

With motivation like that, MP Joe’s current commitment is to help the Ports Modernization Review end well by continuing it with the Liberals’ Marine Ports caucus in a further stage after the official public consultation end date of Dec. 3, 2018.

 

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Prince Rupert is one day closer to Asia than Vancouver—each way! This is one factor in a key proposal to replace the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority with a Western Canada Port Agency