lay offs

[piratediver]

TORONTO - The union representing government workers says Ontario is putting the province's marine heritage at serious risk.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union says the province has laid off one of only three senior specialists in the protection of underwater shipwrecks and artifacts in North America.

OPSEU says Simon Spooner, the only senior specialist in marine archeology in Ontario, was laid off Dec. 2.

Spooner advised the government on the excavation and preservation of artifacts found underwater, including shipwrecks.

The union says Ontario's 250,000 lakes and over 100,000 kilometres of rivers contain thousands of shipwrecks and First Nation artifacts.

Under the Ontario Heritage Act, the government is legally required to protect the shipwrecks and heritage underwater.

OPSEU president Smokey Thomas said closure of the marine section responsible for the protection of heritage and culture underwater means the province is turning its back on Ontario's maritime history.

"The government will no longer have the expertise to protect our waters from toxic chemicals leaking from sunken ships or preserving the thousands of marine artifacts for future generations to enjoy and learn from," said Thomas.

"The provincial government is abandoning the program when most countries are strengthening their protection of historic shipwrecks and underwater heritage culture," Thomas added.



I wonder if this will happen elsewhere?


Pirate diver

[CanadianTrout]

I live in Ontario and had not read this in the news yet. What a shame....

I'm assuming that the Premier of Ontario is responsible for this....

Just one more reason I hate Dalton Mcguinty and the Liberal party.... (Canadian version of the Dem's)

One pic says it all..

Other pic is just great (we have a restaurant chain in Canada called "Jack Astor's", hence the joke)