Labrador MP says she's asked for fast rescue craft stations to be built along region's coasts
Mother of man lost at sea says she's not optimistic changes will come from his death
One year after two men died off the coast of Mary's Harbour, Labrador's member of Parliament says she is pushing for changes to the region's search and rescue operations but can't provide definitive timelines.
Liberal MP Yvonne Jones said in an interview this week that she has asked the Canadian Coast Guard to consider installing fast-craft rescue stations and three life raft stations along Labrador's coast.
"Hopefully sooner rather than later we can have this in place because lives depend upon it. And you know, time is of the essence always," Jones said Tuesday.
The MP said there's no time frame for a decision but she hopes it will be approved and funding will be included in next year's federal budget.
Marc Russell and Joey Jenkins were last seen aboard their fishing vessel the Island Lady on Sept. 17, 2021. To mark the sombre anniversary, family members laid a wreath at their fishing spot and held a barbecue while calling for systemic changes to search and rescue.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans said they are working with search and rescue partners to build and enhance marine emergency response capacity in Labrador, including the re-established Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre in St. John's and a new vessel in St. Anthony.
The DFO also said it has funded five Indigenous communities along Labrador's coast to buy vessels and equipment to help in searches and they are exploring options to expand VHF radio coverage.
One of the men's mothers said she's not optimistic change will happen. In a statement to CBC earlier this month, Joan Jenkins said search and rescue operations have not improved in the 10 years since Burton Winters went missing outside Makkovik.
"It's sad, really, and I don't expect many improvements to come forth since Marc's and Joey's tragedy either," Joan said.
"There is a lot of talk and discussion but that is not action, which is what is needed quickly for changes to the regulations and protocol of search and rescue."
JRCC to review protocols, says Jones
The search for the two missing men was also blanketed in controversy as the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre called off their search after 48 hours and turned it over to the RCMP for a recovery mission. The RCMP did not have a boat in Mary's Harbour.
Amid public pressure, the military and coast guard continued to aid in the RCMP's recovery mission, but Jeanette Russell said earlier this month families shouldn't have to advocate for searches to continue during a vulnerable time in their lives.
Jones said she hopes there will be changes to that process as well. She said the 48-hour search and rescue protocol is standard for the Department of Defence but in Labrador, it didn't allow the RCMP time to sort out resources or locals to take over the rescue operation, she said.
"While the protocol may seem to work for the senior people that run the JRCC, what happened is that it didn't work in isolated, remote, rural northern regions like ours," Jones said.
Jones said the JRCC is reviewing ways to improve operations in isolated areas. There is also an agreement in the works between the federal and provincial governments to boost search and rescue resources, she said.
"That MOU [memorandum of understanding] is being negotiated between those two governments to look at what we have, what new assets can be applied," she said.
Jones said changes take time.
"I haven't seen too much across government that happens overnight, but what I can tell you is that there's a lot of attention being paid right now to Labrador as it relates to search and rescue services, and that will continue until we have a solution or enhancements," Jones said.
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With files from Labrador Morning