In an earlier post, The Top Ten Ways to Protest the Ferry Changes, I suggested that the number one way to convince the B.C. government to bring fairness to the ferry system would be for ferry-dependent communities to secede from British Columbia. That might seem implausible. However, other areas have separated from their larger jurisdictions and remain separate today. West Virginia succeeded from Virginia in 1863. Nunavut broke away from the North West Territories as recently as 1999.
The separations occurred because the people of the split-off areas believed the larger body did not understand their lifestyle and needs. That situation applies to us. Does Dawson Creek, Kamloops, or Vancouver, for that matter, know what it’s like to be a Coaster? Residents of islands have a lot in common with us, however, so the suggestion is to have all coastal areas and islands unite.
The idea could become a reality, or at the least it could convince power-seeking politicians to pay attention to our needs. Where there’s territory, there’s power, and no politician wants to lose it.
Rains on The Coast 