CITY HALL - In the evening I went to City Hall to attend a meeting of Council's Standing Committee on the Victoria Harbour Airport.  Councillors Madoff, Coleman, and Holland make up this Committee.  Staff provided an overview of jurisdictional issues related to the airport. It is interesting to hear that Transport Canada has virtually all the jurisdiction with regard to the airport, including responsibility around noise and emissions, but does not carry out any monitoring of noise related to float planes.  This airport was certified as an airport in 2000 and is the only certified water airport in Canada.  In all the time that this facility has been operating, it has been operating under draft Water Airport Regulations.  Final Regulations have been drafted, and will be released in December, at which time there will be a 30 day period for public response.
Given its major role in the operation of the airport, it was unfortunate that Transport Canada was not able to attend the meeting, due to Stephen Harper's prohibition on public servants meeting with the public during the election campaign.
Thirteen residents spoke at the session, all but one of whom were residents of Songhees or James Bay.  The one non-neighbour was Don Priddy, the Board Chairman of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority.  The first speaker was Captain Jack Bragg, who I have met and who impressed me with his knowledge of the Maritime Safety Act and airport regulations.  He has provided expert advice to Transport Canada with regard to the harbour airport.  His main point was that both an environmental impact and an aeronotic study are required prior to the certification of an airport, and that these studies have not been done.  Marc Pakenham, a former Coast Guard safety officer, indicated that Victoria does not have a contingency plan for dealing with float plane accidents in the harbour.  He also recommended that Victoria establish a Victoria Harbour Airport Authority. Others talked about a 73% increase in flights over the past ten years, fumes invading their living quarters, and loss of enjoyment of their homes.  There was also concern expressed about the proposed marina at Royal Quays and its incursion in to the harbour, which will push marine and air traffic further out. 

 


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    About me

    I retired from the British Columbia public service in 2005, following a 28 year career. During this time I was a Senior Policy Analyst and at various times held responsibility for employment and labour relations policy, women's programs, child care policy, prepared reports to the International Labour Office, and managed domestic and international human rights, including preparing status reports on UN Conventions. I managed a $124 million child care subsidy program, and was the lead for British Columbia during Canada's ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.  I also provided input to draft UN conventions on persons with disabilities, and the Declaration on the Rights of Aboriginal Persons. One of my favorite roles was representing British Columbia on the Provincial/Federal/Territorial Committee of Officials on Human Rights. From 1987 to 1990 Iheld the position of Alderman (as it was then) Victoria's City Council, with primarily responsibility for Parks and Heritage. Currently I hold the position of Chair of the World Community Service Committee of Victoria's Harbourside Rotary Club, and am busy drafting an application for funding for a clean water project in Honduras.   I volunteer with seniors at Beacon Hill Villa, taking residents on outings, and have a blast volunteering in the soup kitchen at Our Place.  I enjoy sewing, and have been an avid dragonboater.  I have not paddled regularly the past couple of years, but I did sit in with the MS  Warriors for a race in Nanaimo this summer.  This is a team made up of people who have multiple sclerosis, and they are a very fun, inspiring group of people.

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