Take the ferry in Halifax and you agree to be searched.
New federal security measures, which took effect April 1, permit passenger searches, require proof of purchase for passengers and add more security cameras and officers in terminals and on ferries. The changes are part of Transport Canada’s Domestic Ferry Regulations.
Despite the new regulations Lori Patterson, spokesperson for Metro Transit, says the measures should have a minimal effect on passengers.
“They (passengers) will see more decals posted around ferry terminals in terms of entering that facility. It is a secure facility and it means their consent, that they could be searched. So that’s what they’ll notice,” she says. “But on a day-to-day basis there wouldn’t be much difference except the requirement of proof of purchase in the waiting area.”
The new measures cost roughly $500,000 to implement. Primary funding was provided through a $393,000 grant from Transport Canada’s Marine Security Contribution program with HRM responsible for the remaining 25 percent.
This article appears in Apr 1-7, 2010.
The two higher priority terminals in HRM are built into the waterfront of downtown Dartmouth and Halifax, but now there is an eight foot fence with barbed wire on top surrounding Woodside, with automatic sliding gate for cars and trucks of employees. I suppose this is to protect the ferry terminal, and that terrorists would never, I dunno, walk over the pedestrian overpass and down into the terminal with all the passengers? Other than another ugly and imposing blight on the waterfront and a gigantic waste of money, there is no net benefit. What a waste.
Madness.
What can we expect at bus terminals ?
In Britain you cannot find a garbage can in a train station, that started when the IRA was leaving bombs in them. You will find one in a loo in the station.
The police don’t like you taking photos in transport terminals or of government offices.
Absolutely ludicrous that ferry terminal personnel would have the right to search a person. Lori Patterson says the measures should have a minimal effect on passengers. Yeah right as if she can predict what kind of racist or other objectionable power-tripping security guard decides they need to frisk you as an intimidation technique when they don’t like how to look at them or speak to them. Even police can’t stop you and frisk you. This has gone way overboard.
“Requirement of proof of purchase” means that thousands of unneeded transfers are handed out and discarded daily. That’s a pile of litter and dead trees, for what?
Metro Transit’s idiotic security measures leave me amazed and depressed. I actually just had the thought: “How will I get home now that I can’t handle going anywhere near the Fortress of Morons?” The ferries are littered with stickers to the point of absurdity, proclaiming rules and regulations that no one ever before thought of breaking. The sudden seriousness of the commissionaires in enforcing the rules would be funny if not so sad. Yesterday they were refusing to allow a man to board because he insisted that he didn’t need a transfer. “Why won’t you accept one?” the newly empowered rent a cop demanded accusingly. My favorite part of the whole exchange was the explanation that we need to keep our transfers because they prove we’ve paid to enter, have been scrutinized by “security” and are therefore not baddies. Uh…pretty sure that even baddies can scrape together 2.25, and seriously? Those guys are scrutinizing the passengers while they read Metro and flirt with the Tim Horton’s girls? Surely you jest.
Metro Tranist, now that the ferry ride has been ruined for commuters and tourists alike, here are some suggestions for enhancements to this much needed security regime: Please add more stickers. You forgot to tell us which windows are not exit windows, and I looked, but couldn’t find any signs that let me know that acts of terror won’t be tolerated. Also could you please provide a list of tips for how to identify the terrorists in our midst, and a number to call to report neer-do-wells? I won’t be satisfied until every available inch is covered with instructional stickers, so you’re going to need, like, I dunno, six or seven more. The commissionaires don’t have bullet proof vests or tasers or german shepherds–big oversights that really could be fixed easily with a few hundred thousand more dollars from HRM taxpayers. The loudspeaker that tells me “Dartmouth ferry now boarding” isn’t nearly loud enough, nor does the message include any warnings about the punishment we’ll face if we don’t board in an orderly manner (but thanks, because for the previous 2000 crossings, I always wondered where I was headed.)
Waste yes; but worse, the ferry has been a delightful part of Halifax life for so many for so long, and this new aggressive and accusatory stance really diminishes that.
Everyone keeps saying that spending the money on fences, cameras and decals was a waste of money but please realise that the Feds paid 75% of these expenses.
Had HRM/Metro Transit simply said no thank you to the offer and refused to do any of the required work then Transport Canada could have ordered the ferry service discontinued. The service falls under the federal regulations of TC.
So would you rather bitch about a few stickers and extra tranfers passed out to those paying by cash or ticket or would you rather bitch that the ferries were pulled out of the water instead?
Proof of payment on transit systems isn’t anything new. Calgary Transit’s CTrain operates on the honour system – better have a valid transfer, validated ticket or a monthly pass when you get stopped for a random inspection by transit cops inside the “paid passengers” zones at terminals or on transit vehicles. It’s not a huge deal for anyone except for Haligonians who are terrified of changing their ways.
Regarding proof of payment, this is how it works on many Ottawa buses as well as the 0-Train.
As for the loudspeaker, I assume its purpose is to inform the vision impaired that the ferry is boarding. I’ll agree that the millions of decals and the threat of random searches are over the top, though.
NOTHING….ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, makes me laugh harder than seeing some poor dumb Canadian post that , “THE Fed’s are paying for…..”
Wake up & smell the damn coffee people.
The Fed’s don’t have any money of their own.
ALL THE MONEY THEY HAVE, THEY TOOK FROM US !
So they are not paying for this, WE as usual are paying for it. Just like we’ve paid over 2 billion dollars for a Gun registry that doesn’t work, & if you read any paper besides the coast, you may notice GUN CRIME in Halifax is at record levels…& that’s with 2 billion dollars wasted, can you imagine how much better off we’d be if 200 + million dollars (2 billion + divided by 10 provinces) was paid to Nova Scotia by the Fed’s instead of funding that stupid registry.
I believe the Provincial shortfall would be somewhat less wouldn’t it ?
I also believe every Province in the Country, would certainly be happy to receive a couple hundred million in the present economic climate !
Not to sound like a raging right winger (am not!) but it does not matter if the Feds paid 75%. 1) there is only one taxpayer! 2) that is still 25% of stupid being paid for by HRM.
Waste of money. If the rules are this way, the rules are stupid too.
Hey more, while you claim I’m a “poor dumb Canadian” I’m intelligent enough to understand that if HRM/Metro Transit didn’t conform to the rules set out in these Transport Canada regulations that the harbour ferries wouldn’t be running at the moment:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesecurity/ope…
And, yes I understand that we also paid when the feds contributed the 75% but realise that it’s spread across a much larger base of Canadian taxpayers compared to the 25% that was contributed solely by HRM ratepayers.