Council calls Cat cull personal

By Michael Gorman

THE VANGUARD

NovaNewsNow.com

Members of Yarmouth town council say they believe the province’s decision to discontinue funding of The Cat ferry service is personally motivated. “This is a choice to cause strife and hardship,” said Councillor Esther Dares. “How can we read that any way but personal? It’s punishment.”

Dares’ comments, echoing the views of her fellow councillors, came during last week’s committee of the whole session when council learned that the province would be paying Bay Ferries $3 million as per a termination clause in the contract between the province and service operator. The news comes as Premier Darrell Dexter is on vacation and preparing to attend the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

The province announced on Dec. 18 that it would not continue to fund the ferry service, throwing the community into chaos as people worried about what it would mean for the future of this area. It is projected that more than 500 jobs and $2 million will be lost in this community alone.

Occupancy rates at local places of lodging are projected to be at about 29 per cent for the coming tourist season, a number industry people call crippling.

Business operators as far away as Cape Breton and P.E.I. have expressed concern about what the cancellation of The Cat will mean for their business. It’s believed Bay Ferries was looking for $6 million to operate this season. “It’s on the backs of the taxpayers of southwest Nova Scotia,” Councillor Martin Pink said of the province’s decision. “I don’t think they want to help us down here.” “They’d sooner give $3 million in default (payments) than give (it to Yarmouth),” said Councillor Danny MacIsaac, adding, “This $3 million could have been a saviour.”

The province’s decision on the ferry came at a confusing time, given that it is a funding partner with the federal government for an ACOA study looking at transportation in the region. And while few people debate that a better and more sustainable ferry is required for the area, no one seems to be able to understand the province’s logic in cutting off service until something else could be established.

Since that time there have been a number of meetings between local officials and the province. The province has questioned the area’s impact projections for a season with no ferry service, despite local officials using numbers from provincial organizations and the Canada Border Services Agency.

A rally is scheduled for Thursday at the provincial legislature to protest the NDP government’s decision and to show that the move will impact people in places other than just Yarmouth.

Meanwhile, during a meeting last Friday between Mayor Phil Mooney and Sterling Belliveau, the NDP MLA responsible for representing this part of the province, the mayor said he was given assurances that the province would open a dialogue with the federal government on the matter.

It’s well known that friction exists between the Dexter government and the federal Conservatives. West Nova MP Greg Kerr said last week that the province has yet to formally raise the issue with the federal government about partnering on the issue. “I have no idea where they’re coming from except they’re obviously not interested in any kind of meaningful dialogue to resolve this thing,” he said.

Mooney said Belliveau told him he would make sure the lines of communication were opened between the province and the right people with the federal government. “Those guys have phones up there,” said Mooney. “They should be able to contact each other.”

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