The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Boats and Boaters Almost everyone thinks that the lakes and rivers belong to "the people" and individuals and local governments have little, if any control over boats, boat docks, who can use them, etc. Some believe that the boaters can do what they like on the water, with the exception of drinking alcohol and following unsafe boating practices. It is recognized that there are provincial laws in the various provinces that determine where boats can land and moor, but in general the universal belief is that those on the water are only subjected to federal laws, administered and enforced by the Fisheries and Oceans Department of the federal government and the Canadian Coast Guard. Information given to 'The Corner' by F&O navigation expert Al Dion, stationed in Prince Albert, paints quite a different picture. Al is a very knowledgeable, informative and affable non-bureaucratic employee of the federal government. One bit of information is in regard to boat docks Ð the ones individuals or groups build on lakes with permission, pay lease costs and taxes, and build to exacting standards. The common belief is that even if 'Joe sailor' owns the dock, any boater can tie up to it, park there, and use Joe's dock as their own. Not so says Al, private docks are private property and cannot be used by others except with the owner's permission or in an emergency Ð just as no one can use your driveway. Dock owners plagued by unwanted guests should post signs on their dock inform the "poachers to leave" and if the problem remains ask the RCMP or Conservation Officers to enforce the law and, in some cases, have the violators charged with trespassing. Al cautions that the dock owner should not just untie the unwanted vessels and push them away as this act is also a violation of the private property laws. Interesting? How about this: Boat owners may not moor/anchor or set up a mooring station for their boat, sailboat or houseboat in any bay or waterway without permission. Permission for the floating device must come from Fisheries and Oceans, (Al's department), but the anchor on the floor of the bay or river is what is by law Crown Land. The Crown often designates the local government Ð R.M., Council, Town, etc. Ð the right to grant permission for mooring stations. This allows the local administration and F&O to designate where boats may be moored. Also, if a boater has been granted permission, the mooring station becomes his/her private property and cannot be used by others without permission. Boats and other structures such as ski jumps may not be anchored in channels or areas where they may prove a hazard or impede navigation. Al Dion also maintains that ski-jumps and other similar structures may not be permanently anchored and must be lit at night. If any boater or airplane runs into any such structure the structure owners are totally liable. The Corner found information from Al fascinating, different from what is generally believed, but sound common sense. His concern is safety and educating people about their rights and responsibilities on Canada's lakes and rivers. MCI Coaches Motor Coach Industries, a Manitoba company for 71 years, recently announced a schedule of layoffs possibly totaling 1,375 Ð $19 per hour or more jobs which would decimate the workforce in its Winnipeg plant by next year. Apparently they have few orders for buses and the prospects for future orders are not promising. The problem is the post 9/11 trauma, fewer tourists and tours which means fewer buses are being purchased by such companies as Greyhound. No bus sales means no workers needed, but it is more complicated than that. Last year the three levels of government gave MCI over $20 million in grants, loans and tax relief if they would stay in Manitoba and keep employee levels high. Previous to that, MCI had threatened to close the plant if the unionized workers did not accept concessions. The workers first rejected the plan, then accepted it after a re-vote and pressure by such people as Premier Gary Doer. Now workers, the union and governments are claiming betrayal, but MCI's announcement is simply complying with Manitoba's labor laws. Layoffs, if any, must be announced well in advance, and MCI claims it is not shutting down the plant. Gary Doer insists there are severe penalties for not maintaining 70% of a workforce of 1,150 jobs by this December. Doer also claims he will fight the layoffs but of course he is only "blowing smoke". The privately owned U.S. company lost $121 million in 2001. If they shut down, or move elsewhere, what can the province do? Tory labor critic Ron Schuler claims the government knew or should have known six months ago that MCI had few orders for buses and should have never advanced the money and that calling in the loan will do no good for the workers or the province. This is hardly the first time that governments have used taxpayer's money to prop up unprofitable private companies. Tractor manufacturer Buhler Industries got $32 million in unsecured loans from the federal government, then threatened to move the plant to North Dakota in a labor dispute. The plant is barely operating and the loans were never repaid. Will governments ever learn? Not likely, but they should stick to tax concessions and let private business, not the taxpayers, take the financial risks.
