Ports Review in a nutshell

Do you agree with this statement?

Transport Canada should replace the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority with a Western Canada Port Agency that
(1) heeds local governments,
(2) respects the ALR,
(3) treasures ecological diligence,
(4) is transparent and accountable, and
(5) looks first to Prince Rupert—capable, expanding, close to Asia—for port growth.

Thank you!

The Ports Review consultation period is officially over, but Steveston-Richmond East MP Joe Peschisolido will take it far further as chair of the federal Liberals’ Marine Ports Caucus.

There may be opportunities for you to take part,
with great potential, saving the world in local ways

To celebrate the ongoing opportunity, join the Eurythmics
in “I Saved the World Today” and/or
read and take action with the articles below this one.

Cooperating ports—good for Western Canada and all

Richmond Council has called on Transport Canada to replace the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, VFPA or “Port of Vancouver,” with a new Western Canada Port Agency, WCPA. That’s in Richmond’s response to the ministry’s Ports Modernization Review.

WCPA is a new name for a visionary concept associated with former minister David Emerson (over a decade ago) and revived by Joe Peschisolido, a current Richmond MP. For most of a decade, Robin Silvester has been CEO of VFPA. It’s viewed as an oligarchy, and he suits its aims, but it lacks the cooperative-service priority of the WCPA vision.

Along with support for WCPA, Richmond Council’s input includes many concerns and imperatives for consulting with local government, ending conflicts of interest such as VFPA’s “environmental assessments” of itself, and respecting ALR land, not buying it for industrial use.

The Ports Modernization Review deadline has passed, but stay tuned for further opportunities via the Liberals’ Marine Ports Caucua.  And if you’re not sure why reform is needed, see this highly informed list of concerns.

Fraser Voices is urging action because we see the unaccountable VFPA (like an oligarchy) as very unfortunate for the health of the Fraser Estuary and the environment. As well, documentation that’s been buried since the Emerson era gives reason to think the WCPA would simultaneously be better for the maritime commerce of Western Canada, with a focus on cooperative service to the vast region, not on growing itself for growth’s sake.

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This article has introduced MP Joe Peschisolido of Steveston-Richmond East; Robin Silvester, long-time VFPA CEO with immense power; and former federal minister David Emerson, whose Gateway vision got blinkered by others. You can meet them again in other Fraser Voices articles, nearby on this blog, including a WCPA article and roundtable article.

The view from here is pretty clear that Robin Silvester and VFPA oligarchy are very adept at growing the VFPA but that the visionary thinking David Emerson showed and Joe Peschisolido respects offers the best prospects in a bigger picture.

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