Re: B次元官网网址楨nvironmental leader calls on officials to deal with beached vessel in Patricia BayB次元官网网址� (Nov. 25 Peninsula B次元官网网址 Review).

The Saanich Inlet Protection Society (SIPS) would like to offer thanks and congratulations to the Peninsula Streams Society for organizing the cleanup at Patricia Bay occasioned by the sailboat that has been aground there for some time, and to the volunteers who gave their time and energy to remove the debris from the foreshore.

Your article quotes Ian Bruce as saying, B次元官网网址淕iven the fact that we are within sight of the (Canadian) Coast Guard, there is equipment and personnel and everything right there and we canB次元官网网址檛 keep (Patricia) Bay free of derelict boats, then what part of the coast are they guarding, if they are not guarding their own?B次元官网网址� (By the way, Bruce is not president of the Peninsula Streams Society, but rather the executive coordinator.)

SIPS agrees with Bruce. To be specific, the relevant act reads: B次元官网网址淧ursuant to subsection 180 (1) of the Canada Shipping Act, 2001, the minister, through the Canadian Coast Guard, has the overall mandate to ensure an appropriate response to ship-source and mystery spill marine pollution incidents in order to minimize damage to CanadaB次元官网网址檚 marine and freshwater environment.B次元官网网址�

The article quotes the Coast Guard as saying that the vessel presents a low risk for pollution. I suggest that someone from the Coast Guard should get out of the office and take a 10-minute walk to look at the beach. ItB次元官网网址檚 a mess.

Ian Cameron, director

Saanich Inlet Protection Society