Trifecta of Troubles for residents of Haida Gwaii

The last couple of weeks have served to perhaps make the folks on Haida Gwaii feel just a tad isolated and forgotten to a fashion, with a range of issues coming to the forefront in Health Care, Housing and Transportation.

And in fact, if you can manage to make it over to the Island, finding a place to live, or to gain full health care service is becoming somewhat of a challenge. 

To start the Islanders travels of woe one must start with BC Ferries, which last week put their November 11th sailing on the back burner until later this week, making for a six day delay in travel plans for those on Haida Gwaii coming to Prince Rupert or transiting the other way.

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That was a situation which had its genesis due to extreme weather and scheduling issues.  And it being the fall there have been no shortage of cancelled or revised sailing schedules and to be fair, there's nothing that the government can do about the weather. 

However, it does seem to reinforce the need for a second ferry on the Northern routes in the winter season as well. 

That to offer a year round reliable service that isn't at the call of the southern trip to Port Hardy; if only to ensure that the vital transportation link between the North Coast and Haida Gwaii has some sense of consistency.

Health care issues have become a significant concern for Haida Gwaii residents as well, recently chemotherapy services were disrupted and ambulance service issues have been raised as well, just some the issues of note on Island health concerns.

North Coast Regional District have taken some of their health issues of note to the office of Health Minister Adrian Dix, though there is no indication as of yet if they have heard back or if any solutions have been offered up.

Haida Gwaii residents did get a Facebook post earlier this month noting that their message and concerns on ambulance service were being heard, hopefully that outreach from MLA Rice is expanding to the other health care issues.

The prospect of health related travel was raised by Prince Rupert Councillor Barry Cunningham at last week's Northern Health presentation, the Councillor noting that with travel issues an ongoing theme, some residents may decide to delay or forgo health treatment.

Something that should be of concern for any provincial government and areas of note that they should work to address.

The same could be said for housing, which as it is in Prince Rupert has become a significant issue, mainly in the area of affordable housing for those in lower economic situations. That as pressures build on housing stock related to the development of Bed and Breakfast's and a lack of new builds of the much needed affordable type.

Issues that have been well documented in recent weeks:

November 4 -- Haida Gwaii housing (video)
November 3 -- Haida Gwaii housing shortage continues (audio)
November 1 -- Housing horror story from Haida Gwaii: Former federal Green Party candidate at risk of homelessness

Ferries, Health, Housing they are all theme that once made for a regular raising in a Question Period by an opposition MLA, but now with the North Coast represented in the government, those themes seem to have faded from the public discussion portion of the daily Legislature review.

Prior to 2014, the need for improved ferry service, better health care and improved housing for Haida Gwaii made for a frequent narrative for Liberal cabinet ministers to hear in Question Period and through statements in the House, though as the NDP would often note, they were items that rarely saw much in the way of action on.

Mostly these days, residents of the region gain mostly social media updates on what our "BC NDP government is doing for us" and while there have been some areas of note that have been addressed by the current government, clearly the news from Haida Gwaii in the last two months raises some important issues to concerning levels.

The residents there most likely would like to hear a little less of the governmental self promotion and a lot more towards advocacy of their challenges raised in the Legislature.  

Not to mention an indication that some kind of action will be taken to address them much sooner than later.

It may still be true that, as the NDP would often say, that Haida Gwaii residents are better off with an NDP government over a BC Liberal one; but as the issues continue to build, that gap in levels of indifference is getting very, very narrow.

More notes on Haida Gwaii can be explored here, while a wider overview of Legislature themes is available here.