First Nation proposes water guardian program after child's death in North Vancouver boat crash
Lionel Hall, 10, was killed after a speedboat driver crashed into an inflatable tube in Cates Park on June 7
The Tsleil-Waututh First Nation is proposing a water guardianship program to educate people in their traditional territory, a month after the death of a child in a speedboat crash in North Vancouver.
Lionel Hall, 10, was killed on June 7 at Cates Park when a speedboat crashed into an inflatable tube carrying him and another child in the water near the park's boat launch. The other child was critically injured.
Alcohol and speed are believed to be factors in the crash, according to RCMP, with the speedboat driver arrested on the scene. He is due in court in August.
Deanna George, an elder and councillor with the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, said Hall's death hit her community hard.
Cates Park, a popular park in North Vancouver's Deep Cove neighbourhood, is located in the nation's traditional territory and is known as Whey-ah-Wichen in their language.
George says that the nation's council has passed a resolution and is talking to different levels of government to set up a water guardianship program and educate boaters in the region.
"I know the open water just seems like, 'Woo hoo! Let's speed; let's do stuff,'" George said.
"But if you don't know the waterways, if you don't know what's coming in and out, the traffic in this area, then yes, you are ignorant."
George says the guardianship program would focus on educating boaters on rules that don't seem intuitive at first glance.
They include respecting others in the area, knowing the locations of canoe and kayak tours, and the value of being on First Nations territory.
"The idea ... is that this is to keep our face within the territory, educate people on who we are, and why we are guarding our lands and our waters," she said.
"And hopefully that will build up the respect for it and [boaters] start abiding by rules that, like I said before, aren't really intuitive to people, like even littering."
Shelley Klassen, Hall's mother, said the idea of having First Nation members out on the water as part of a water guardianship program was a "brilliant idea."
Jason Hall, Lionel's dad, said that regulations haven't been keeping up with the number of boaters that are now out on the waters.
"Clearly, had there been a presence to at least monitor and ensure that all users of the water are acting in a safe manner — you know, this type of accident would have been avoided there," he told CBC News.
Longstanding concerns in area
District of North Vancouver Mayor Mike Little said that there have been longstanding concerns about the boat traffic near Cates Park, which is among a select few public boat launches in the Lower Mainland.
He said the district would work with the First Nation and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority on solutions to address the section of the Burrard Inlet around Cates Park.
"Some way to separate the traffic, I think, would be a big advantage," he said. "People who aren't accessing the boat launch shouldn't be hanging out around the boat launch.
"If there's faster traffic, it needs to be separated from some of the slower traffic," he added.
"Larger boats need to be separated from the smaller boats. It's those interaction points [where] I think you see a lot of risk."
Authorities in support
A Transport Canada spokesperson said that the federal transport minister can designate local authorities to enforce rules if they make an application in writing.
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority — which is responsible for boating traffic in the Burrard Inlet, the body of water where the crash happened — said it welcomed all efforts that contributed to improving safety on local waterways.
"Building meaningful partnerships with First Nations, including Tsleil-Waututh Nation, and advancing our shared priorities is central to our work at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority," a spokesperson wrote.
A spokesperson for the Canadian Coast Guard said that First Nations in B.C. have a long history of responding to marine emergencies and have extensive knowledge of the local waters.
"Increasingly, the Canadian Coast Guard is benefiting from and integrating that knowledge and expertise into many of the ways we approach search and rescue," the spokesperson wrote.
A Public Safety Ministry spokesperson noted that many First Nations throughout B.C. have programs established under the "guardian" term, which vary from nation to nation and may not be related to policing activities.
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With files from Amelia John