Media Advisory - Coast guard base closures draw protest

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VANCOUVER, May 6, 2015 /CNW/ - The Harper government will close the Vancouver Marine Communication and Traffic Services Centre (MCTS) today, the fourth base to be closed by the government in 2015. Coast guard officers and a diverse group of Metro Vancouver organizations will hold a rally today to protest the closure.

"Stephen Harper doesn't understand British Columbia," said Jerry Dias, National President of Unifor. "Harper is aggressively pushing for more oil tanker traffic and closing coast guard stations at the same time."

WHAT:

Rally to save BC's coast

WHEN:

Wednesday, May 6 at noon

WHERE:

Closed Kitsilano Coast Guard Base (eastern foot of Whyte Ave), Vancouver

WHO:

Jerry Dias (Unifor); Chad Stroud (Unifor Local 2182); Irene Lanzinger (BC Federation of

Labour); Peter Lahay (International Transport Workers' Federation); Bob Jackson (Public Service

Alliance of Canada); Rob MacDonald (Professional Institute of the Public Service); Garth Mullins (Canadian Association of Professional Employees); Mike Cotter (Jericho Sailing Club); Kai Nagata (Dogwood Initiative)

The federal government has already closed the MTCS centres in Ucluelet, Saint John, and St. John's and has plans to close the bases in Thunder Bay, Rivière au Renard, St. Anthony, and Comox.

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing more than 305,000 workers. It was formed Labour Day weekend 2013 when the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers unions merged.

SOURCE Unifor