January 19, 1999
(Works, Services and Transportation)

Minister comments on Marine Atlantic's ferry services

Rick Woodford, Minister of Works, Services and Transportation, has written a personal letter to Marine Atlantic expressing his complete dissatisfaction with what he describes as extremely poor ferry services currently being provided to travellers and truckers on the island portion of the province.

In his letter addressed to Chairperson Moya Cahill, the minister said he is dismayed and upset by Marine Atlantic's lack of consideration for the travelling public. He said Marine Atlantic has been "slow and inconsiderate" in their response to travellers and truckers following the series of recent weather delays. He added that since the commencement of 1999, the service has been "completely and totally" unacceptable.

"Given the advance notice of major storms, Marine Atlantic should be prepared to provide service to the traffic using the resources provided by the federal government for this purpose," Mr. Woodford stated.

The minister said Marine Atlantic's poor service to the trucking industry has major negative impacts on the economy of the province.

"When supplies are not delivered in a timely fashion, businesses on the island come to a halt. When goods do not get off the island, commitments for delivery to customers are missed and future orders are lost," Mr. Woodford said. "These situations give clear and abundant evidence that Marine Atlantic management do not consider the effects of their decisions on the people and businesses who must use the ferry service."

Minister Woodford said he is extremely disappointed with the decisions of the management team "who consistently overlook the requirements to provide service to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador."

He cited a number of specific examples including a decision by Marine Atlantic management to cancel the scheduled morning trip of the Smallwood out of Port aux Basques on January 1 in order to get the vessel back on schedule for the late evening trip.

Mr. Woodford said this decision clearly overlooked a major inconvenience to travelling customers who should have been accommodated by employing a fast turnaround method to get the vessel back on schedule.

As well, the minister said a January 6 scheduled evening trip of the Smallwood ought not to have been cancelled. Mr. Woodford said: "The Atlantic Freighter, despite having been at dockside in North Sydney for a considerable period of time had not been ready to commence service on time and the Smallwood had been filling in. When the Atlantic Freighter was ready the substitution was made, the Smallwood trip was cancelled, and both passengers and commercial carriers were inconvenienced."

Mr. Woodford said he has heard many complaints about poor service since becoming minister and that subsequent monitoring of the service by his officials has revealed a systematic and unacceptable series of decisions by the present management.

Mr. Woodford said Marine Atlantic has a responsibility under the Terms of Union to uphold a level of service which meets Canada's commitment to the province.

"The decisions made by your management team thus far in 1999 have not provided a marine service meeting the needs of the traffic offering," Mr. Woodford said. "In failing to meet traffic offering, Marine Atlantic depresses the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador. I expect the board of directors to give clear direction to your management to meet the traffic offering, including the truckers, for the rest of 1999 and beyond."

Minister Woodford copied his letter to the entire Marine Atlantic board; to David Collenette, federal Minister of Transport; and to Fred Mifflin, the Newfoundland and Labrador representative in the federal cabinet.

"I want this matter dealt with immediately and I want to ensure that such further insensitivity to the needs of travellers and truckers is avoided," Mr. Woodford concluded.

Media contact: Gary Callahan, (709) 729-3015.

1999 01 19 4:55 p.m.