Manitoba PCs apologize for opposing landfill search for murdered women
Interim Progressive Conservative Leader Wayne Ewasko offered an "unconditional" apology in the Manitoba Legislature Wednesday after his party, while in government, refused to search a landfill north of Winnipeg for the remains of two First Nations women who were victims of a serial killer — a decision the Tories made part of the 2023 election campaign.
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Vancouver Sun
an hour ago
- Vancouver Sun
Criticism comes from all sides after B.C. Ferries awards contract to Chinese state-owned company
Criticism of B.C. Ferries' decision to partner with a Chinese state-owned company to build four new vessels intensified Tuesday, with calls from B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad to cancel the contract and reissue the request for proposals to make it more attractive to Canadian bidders. 'I think we should be doing everything we can to support jobs in B.C. and our economy in B.C.,' he told Postmedia News. If the B.C. companies can't build the vessels, then Rustad said the ferry service should be looking at procuring ships from other countries such as Germany and Poland that B.C. Ferries has worked with before and are more friendly to Canada. Stay on top of the latest real estate news and home design trends. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Westcoast Homes will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Rustad's comments echoed sentiments from B.C. Transport Minister Mike Farnworth who expressed concern about procuring ships from a country currently engaged in a tariff war with Canada. Farnworth, however, stopped short of saying he was going to take action against the decision. 'My main concern with B.C. Ferries' decision is the lack of Canadian content in the contract. My hope is that going forward B.C. Ferries will make a greater effort to require Canadian inputs into its new vessels,' said Farnworth, explaining he had shared those concerns with the corporation. 'With respect to China specifically, my concern is focused around the ongoing trade disputes between our nations and the fact China is deliberately attacking sections of the Canadian economy through unwarranted tariffs.' B.C. Premier David Eby has repeatedly criticized the Asian economic giant over allegations of money laundering, election interference and that it's arming Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. A recent trade mission by the premier intentionally skipped China, with B.C. instead choosing to focus on strengthening ties with Japan, South Korea and Malaysia. On Tuesday, B.C. Ferries announced it had signed a deal with Chinese state-owned Weihai Shipyards to build four new vessels between 2026 and 2031 as replacements for its oldest ships. Nicholas Jimenez, the corporation's CEO, has defended the choice by saying that there were no Canadian companies that applied for the project. In September, North Vancouver-based shipbuilder Seaspan said that 'Canadian shipyards and their supply chains cannot compete with low-wage countries that have lower employment standards, lower environmental standards and lower safety standards.' The company has urged the province to follow Quebec in providing tax breaks and forgivable loans and grants to help ensure ferries can be built in B.C. Jimenez also said that China has come to dominate the global shipbuilding industry with 60 per cent of all ships in the world today having been built by the Asian behemoth. 'In the last 10 to 15 years, the technological capabilities and shipbuilding prowess inside that country has grown immeasurably,' Jimenez told reporters Tuesday. 'We consulted heavily with our colleagues in Europe, who have been in the market for more than a decade. I would note even as recently as two months ago, another very large Italian ferry organization just signed a deal for nine vessels with the very same shipyard that we intend to build in.' Jimenez promised there are provisions in the contract that ensure Weihai will not be paid in full until the ships are delivered. Additionally, he said there will be oversight teams on the ground in China during construction to ensure compliance with the contract and address any security concerns. The full contract has yet to be release and B.C. Ferries isn't releasing the amount being paid to the Chinese company, citing the need to protect future bids. Ed Hooper, B.C. Ferries head of fleet renewal, said Tuesday that the corporation took the step of travelling to all the shipyards on its shortlist and that there was a sense of strong worker safety provisions and oversight at Weihai. He did acknowledge, however, that the dominance of China in the industry is deliberate. Neither Jimenez or Hooper were made available Wednesday for further questions. Joy MacPhail, B.C. Ferries board chairwoman and former NDP cabinet minister, was also unavailable. A corporation spokesperson said that they had been having regular briefings and meetings with the provincial government throughout the procurement process and had notified the federal government of their selection of Weihai ahead of time. They also said that all IT networks and vessel systems for the ships will be installed in Canada by local suppliers and that B.C. Ferries had sought the advice of an independent risk consultancy on security measures for the project. Rustad said that while Jimenez might not have concerns about the geopolitical ramifications of the deal, there is no telling when an international incident could occur between Canada and China that might put the delivery of the vessels in jeopardy. 'Obviously there's lots of rhetoric going back and forth between the United States and China, friction with Taiwan,' Rustad told Postmedia. 'Who knows what may happen? Hopefully nothing by 2029 to 2031 which is when these ships are going to start to be constructed and delivered.' Concerns over the contract have reverberated to the federal level with Jeff Kibble, Conservative MP for Cowichan-Malahat-Langford, questioning federal Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland during question period in Ottawa. 'The Liberals are set to hand over $30 million (in federal subsidies) to B.C. Ferries while B.C. Ferries hands over critical jobs, investment and industry to China,' Kibble charged. Freeland responded that she agrees the federal government needs to be supporting local industry and working with allies and trade partners but that the B.C. Ferries' contract wasn't a federal project. Jenny Kwan, NDP MP for Vancouver East, told Postmedia that Ottawa has a role in working with provincial governments to build up the country, including ensuring that domestic companies can compete for large procurement contracts. 'We have to re-examine how that procurement process is undertaken,' said Kwan.
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Major projects will be slowed by court challenges if rights are violated: First Nations chief
The regional chief of the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations said Wednesday that governments should not speed up major projects at the expense of First Nations rights — and warned that projects will be slowed down by court challenges if First Nations are not consulted from the start. "We're asking the government to follow your own laws," Terry Teegee said, citing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that the federal government adopted. The government of Prime Minister Mark Carney introduced major economic legislation last week. The bill has two parts — one to break down federal barriers to internal trade and the other to fast-track major projects. It sets out five criteria to determine whether a project is in the "national interest." Those criteria include the project's likelihood of success, whether it would strengthen the country's resiliency and advance the interests of Indigenous Peoples, and whether it would contribute to economic growth in an environmentally responsible way. WATCH | Teegee pulls out of trade mission over similar B.C. legislation: Why this First Nation chief pulled out of a B.C. trade mission 9 days ago Duration 12:10 Over the weekend, B.C. Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Terry Teegee announced he would not be attending a 10-day trade mission to East Asia with Premier David Eby. Teegee says his withdrawal was due to recent legislation from the province, meant to speed up infrastructure projects, which the chief says is not in compliance with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. But First Nations leaders say their interests weren't considered when the legislation was being drafted and they were given just one week to review and bring comments forward on a briefing document on the bill. "It's probably going to take a lot longer to get approval for some of these projects because we're going to end up in court," Teegee said. "This is where we end up." The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations agreed. "It's not about the bill itself. It's about the process. And I think that ramming something through when you should be hearing from Canadians, from industry, from First Nations … is the wrong way to go," Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said. "You don't want to end back up in court. You don't want to have civil unrest. Why not just invite us to the table?" WATCH | Carney's bill faces blowback: First Nations leaders have warned that widespread protests and blockades are possible if governments don't obtain affected Indigenous communities' free, prior and informed consent, as required by the UN declaration. The federal government has said that declaration doesn't amount to a veto — a statement Justice Minister Sean Fraser walked back last week following criticism from Woodhouse Nepinak. Teegee said "no government has a veto, meaning that when we come to a decision, all governments come into the room to make a decision together." "First Nations, certainly as a part of this, need to be part of the decision-making process," he added. Supporters also raise concerns Even groups that generally support development are raising concerns about the federal government's plan. Mark Podlasly, CEO of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition, said he was "surprised" First Nations were only given seven days to review parts of the legislation before it was introduced. "The answer will not automatically be 'no' from First Nations when a project comes along. It's just that Indigenous rights and involvement has to not only be included, but respected. That hasn't happened a lot in the Canadian past," he said. "There's also a question on the environment, and there's a question about who bears the impact of these projects if they're rushed through. It's going to be Indigenous Peoples, especially in parts of the country where there's mining or energy sources [on lands] that are integral to our lifestyle, our cultural practices." Podlasly said that while the federal legislation "seems to have Indigenous participation at its core," it's not clear what that participation will look like, especially under the tight two-year approval timeline the government seeks. He said First Nations can support projects and many do — but they don't want to be "caught at the back end" of decisions made without their knowledge or consent. "We're all operating with seven days' notice. That's what we're operating with. And time will tell," he said. The Assembly of First Nations is holding an emergency chiefs meeting on Monday to discuss what to do next. Woodhouse Nepinak vowed to follow their direction and said a legal review of the legislation is ongoing.
Vancouver Sun
2 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Liberals reject Bloc proposal to split Bill C-5 to speed 'consensual' lifting of internal trade barriers
OTTAWA — Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon rejected the Bloc Québécois' proposal to split Bill C-5 in two parts, so that the sections on lifting internal trade barriers and the fast-tracking of major projects can be studied separately. Bloc House Leader Christine Normandin said earlier this week it made little sense that the bill, in its current form, would be sent to the House of Commons committee on transport as it falls under the mandate of Minister of Transport and Internal Trade Chrystia Freeland. Normandin instead suggested dividing the bill to study the portions on free trade and labour mobility in one committee and the fast-tracking of major projects in the national interest in another. She said the free trade portion is 'rather consensual' and could go 'a bit faster,' whereas the major projects portion would warrant more scrutiny. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. On Wednesday, MacKinnon offered a resounding 'no' to the Bloc's proposition. 'This is a bill that responds to economic conditions caused by the tariff war, among other things, and mobilizes premiers, mobilizes Canadians from coast to coast to coast behind projects of national significance,' he said. 'These projects have a certain urgency, as do interprovincial trade barriers that must fall,' he added. 'This is a very comprehensive bill. We understand that it's going to be debated, but it's something that we solicited and secured a mandate for.' Prime Minister Mark Carney said his intention is to see the bill passed before June 20 , when the House of Commons rises and MPs return to their ridings for the summer. 'It is a top priority for this government, and we will do everything to get it passed before the summer,' he said after C-5 was tabled on Friday. 'And if Parliament needs to sit longer, it should sit longer in order to get it passed. That's what Canadians expect.' MacKinnon said to date there is no consensus from other parties to sit into the summer. The part of the bill on lifting internal trade barriers would allow a good or service that meets provincial or territorial rules to have met federal requirements but also make it easier for workers to get a federal licence by recognizing provincial or territorial work authorizations. The second part, which is a bit more contentious, seeks to get projects deemed in the national interest — such as highways, pipelines, mines and nuclear facilities — built faster by having only one environmental assessment done and respecting federal conditions. On Wednesday, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) once more expressed concern the Liberals were 'ramming' through this bill without giving First Nations time to properly study the text. 'I keep hearing that they want to push through this legislation right to the end of this month, and I think that that's the wrong way to go,' said AFN National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak during a press conference on Parliament Hill. Woodhouse Nepinak is expected to meet with Carney in July, presumably after the bill may have passed. She urged the government to slow down the process to allow meaningful consultation and study to occur with all the parties involved, including First Nations. 'Look, take the summer, take the time to listen to First Nations, take the time to listen to Canadians. And I think that'll make a more united country,' she said. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, on the other hand, is favourable to the fast-tracking of major projects like pipelines and dismissed the need for a consensus to move ahead. 'If you wait till everybody agrees on everything, nothing will happen. You're never going to get everybody to agree on every single project,' he told reporters on Monday. 'If the prime minister says he's going to wait until everyone agrees, then nothing will get done, which is what has been happening for the last decade,' he added. Woodhouse Nepinak said national chiefs before her were ignored in discussions on major projects, which caused civil unrest and lawsuits that slowed down the projects. 'Isn't it better to talk through things rather than always being in litigation?' she asked. 'It seems like First Nations always need to litigate, and then we get… results later.' 'Does Canada want to change that or not?' National Post calevesque@ Get more deep-dive National Post political coverage and analysis in your inbox with the Political Hack newsletter, where Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what's really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill every Wednesday and Friday, exclusively for subscribers. Sign up here . Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here .
