Latest news with #DavidRobbins
National Observer
4 days ago
- Politics
- National Observer
Reconciliation on hold as BC blocks Cowichan land win
A BC government appeal of a court ruling recognizing aboriginal title to part of the Cowichan Nation's ancestral land in Richmond will delay reconciliation and prolong generations of harm, the nation's lead lawyer said. 'This land was where the nation lived together, where they harvested together, where they were defended together and where they were literally embedded in the earth,' said David Robbins. Last week, Justice Barbara Young granted the Cowichan title to almost 7.5 square kilometres of their ancestral Tl'uqtinus village lands on the south shore of Lulu Island in Richmond, BC across from Tilbury Island. The largely industrial area, long described by the Nation as their traditional settlement area, includes land owned by the federal government, the City of Richmond, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and private holdings. The ruling affirms their constitutionally protected title and right to fish for food in the south arm of the Fraser River — after more than 150 years of struggle since the land was taken from the Cowichan during the colonial era. However, within days of the decision, BC Attorney General Niki Sharma released a statement stating the province would appeal, warning the ruling could have "significant unintended consequences for fee simple private property rights in BC." The Cowichan connection to their homeland historically is well documented, and the court was clear that that connection continues to this day, Robbins added. Delaying acting on the decision will 'further infringe upon Cowichan Aboriginal title and their vision for reconciliation at their lands.' The province prefers to address Indigenous land disputes through negotiated agreements that 'protect both private property rights and reconciliation goals,' rather than through the courts, the statement said. The land titles are currently divided among federal, provincial and municipal governments, and private owners, as well as two other Indigenous groups: the Musqueam Indian Band and the Tsawwassen First Nation, who were also defendants in the case. 'We are not seeking to remove people from their homes. We expect the Prime Minister, the Premier and our Chiefs to meet and discuss how to reconcile the fact this is Cowichan land," said Shana Thomas, hereditary chief of Lyackson First Nation. The court ruling declares legal titles claimed by Canada, the City of Richmond and Vancouver Fraser Port Authority in parts of the Tl'uqtinus lands to be defective or invalid, except for a small area used for an airport fuel delivery project. Between 1871 and 1875, the Crown granted ownership rights to the land primarily to government officials and land speculators, Robbins said. The property was later subdivided and sold privately. The Cowichan ruling invalidates title to the public lands only. The nation did not challenge private landowners' rights, he added. The decision compels the Province to negotiate in 'good faith' to reconcile the Nation's Aboriginal title with existing private properties — a step Cowichan leaders say British Columbia has long avoided. Shana Thomas, hereditary chief of Lyackson First Nation, one of the group of Cowichan Tribes that stand to benefit from the court decision, was initially buoyed by the court decision. 'For generations, our people have known this truth, but it often fell on deaf ears. Now, with the court's validation, everyone is compelled to hear and respect this reality. This ruling isn't just about land; it's about our survival, culture, and identity that are inseparable from our territories.' But her euphoria was dashed when she learned the province would appeal. She said the way the province has framed the appeal — linking it to concerns about private property rights — is misleading to the public.' The court decision places the duty to reconcile with the Cowichan Nation on the provincial government, not on individual property owners, she added. 'They've chosen to wave the warning bells of some kind of harm that could come to private property, which is very unfortunate,' Thomas said. 'We are not seeking to remove people from their homes. We expect the Prime Minister, the Premier and our Chiefs to meet and discuss how to reconcile the fact this is Cowichan land.' There will be benefits from putting the case to rest, Thomas said. "This ruling is a step toward reconciliation, not a threat to it. By recognizing Aboriginal titles, we are creating certainty.' Canada's National Observer reached out to Sharma's office for an interview, but her office said she was unavailable to comment before the deadline, citing scheduling conflicts. The Cowichan Tribes, which have the largest population of any First Nation in British Columbia, are the main group named in the case. Together with the Halalt, Lyackson, Penelakut and Stz'uminus First Nations, they make up the Quw'utsun (Cowichan) Nation. The case, launched by Cowichan Tribes, Stz'uminus First Nation, Penelakut Tribe and Halalt First Nation — with support from Lyackson First Nation — was one of Canada's lengthiest Indigenous land claims trials. It relied heavily on oral histories and expert testimony describing the Cowichan's deep-rooted presence at Tl'uqtinus. The village was described as a landmark for navigation and a hub for community life, fishing and defence. With the appeal to be filed, efforts to reconcile Cowichan title with overlapping Crown and private property interests will be paused until the higher courts deliver their decision. Musqueam Indian Band also expressed disappointment and said they view that the Cowichan dispute should have been resolved using traditional Coast Salish protocols instead of the colonial court system. However, Thomas said the Cowichan turned to the courts only after all other avenues failed to recognize their rights and title, noting that upholding their own Snuw'uy'ulth which means teachings of the Nation is always the first priority. 'We need to engage with Canada and British Columbia to finalize what that reconciliation framework looks like, and how we're going to get there,' Thomas said.
Business Wire
06-08-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Pivotal Manufacturing Partners Acquires 140 Acres at Phipps Bend in Northeast Tennessee, Plans Development of The Phipps Bend Advanced Manufacturing & Technology Campus Anchored by Highland Materials
NEW YORK & JOHNSON CITY, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pivotal Manufacturing Partners ('Pivotal'), a real estate investment platform focused on advanced manufacturing and energy infrastructure, announced today the acquisition of approximately 140 acres of land at the former planned Phipps Bend Nuclear Plant in Hawkins County, Tennessee. In tandem, Pivotal executed a long-term ground lease with Highland Materials ('Highland'), a next-generation polysilicon manufacturer, who plans to develop a world-class, $1 billion+ advanced manufacturing facility on a portion of the site. The broader property—the Phipps Bend Advanced Manufacturing & Technology Campus—is planned as a high-power, heavy infrastructure destination designed to support mission critical operators requiring scale, high-power infrastructure, flexible zoning, and streamlined execution. The campus offers direct on-site access to a major TVA-owned regional transmission interconnect, the primary regional power distribution hub for Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, and benefits from a nuclear-industrial historical overlay and development-friendly permitting environment. 'We are honored to be investing behind the growth of Northeast Tennessee at such a unique site at Phipps Bend. This campus combines striking mission critical infrastructure, a rare high-voltage interconnect, and a permitting environment shaped by its nuclear legacy – all within a region eager to welcome transformational capital investment,' said David Robbins, Managing Partner of Pivotal Manufacturing Partners. 'We are proud to be partnering with Highland Materials to advance their planned facility and look forward to continuing to work with all of our local partners as Phipps Bend emerges as a premier destination for this next generation high-power industrial renaissance.' Originally developed by the TVA in the late 1970s as a nuclear power facility, the Phipps Bend site saw over $2.6 billion in federal investment before the project was canceled in the early 1980s prior to completion after the Three Mile Island incident. While no reactors were ever brought online, the site retains a powerful legacy: significant utility infrastructure, a strategic location within the TVA transmission network, and a regional development mindset rooted in energy-intensive industry. Today, those attributes provide a differentiated foundation for advanced manufacturing and critical technology operations. Highland Materials is a U.S.-based manufacturer of high-purity polysilicon, a critical material used in both the solar and semiconductor supply chains. The company is developing a next-generation production platform designed to meet rising domestic and international demand for such critical technologies. Highland selected Phipps Bend for its exceptional power infrastructure, strategic location within the TVA region, and development-ready environment capable of supporting large-scale, high-precision manufacturing. 'Partnering with Pivotal Manufacturing Partners is a critical step needed to move the Highland polysilicon manufacturing facility forward at Phipps Bend' said Richard Rast, CEO of Highland Materials. 'We are excited about the market opportunity, the job creation, the capital investment, and the continued community and state level support this project enjoys.' Pivotal and Highland are working closely with local, regional, and federal stakeholders—including Hawkins County, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Holston Electric Cooperative, and the State of Tennessee—to deliver infrastructure, incentives, and economic development to support both near-term and long-term phases of the campus. About Pivotal Manufacturing Partners Pivotal Manufacturing Partners ('Pivotal') is a real estate investment platform built to support the rapidly growing reshoring trend in U.S. advanced manufacturing and critical technologies. The firm's focus is to invest directly at the intersection of power and real estate - acquiring, developing, and managing large-scale industrial properties with the advanced infrastructure needed to support power-intensive manufacturing processes. The Pivotal platform combines an institutional approach with a long-term oriented view to act decisively, generate compelling risk adjusted returns for their partners, and critically focus on investing in assets poised to benefit from long-term megatrends in reshoring, technological innovation, the scarcity value of power, and the next generation industrial renaissance. About Highland Materials Highland Materials is a manufacturer of purified polysilicon and aluminum/silicon alloys. Supported by a world class management team. Highland Materials is positioned to be a major U.S. supplier of ultra-pure polysilicon, to the PV market, the battery silicon anode markets, as well as other industries. The Company has a unique, patent protected silicon purification technology that enables Highland to produce high purity material with 50% reduction in capital cost, a 40% reduction in operating costs, less than half the electric power, and a 90% reduction in carbon emissions compared to other major manufacturers.
Bloomberg
16-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
TCW's Bond Veteran Targets ‘IMF Candidates' That Trailed Peers
In a bumpy start to the year, David Robbins reaped gains from Lebanon's defaulted debt, watched Turkey markets implode and saw wins from his election bet in Ecuador. The four-decade veteran of emerging markets is now betting that some of the worst-performing credits across the asset class will become winners.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
OMNI-LITE INDUSTRIES ANNOUNCES DATE OF FOURTH QUARTER AND FISCAL 2024 RESULTS
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, April 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Omni-Lite Industries Canada Inc. (the "Company" or 'Omni-Lite'; TSXV: OML) today announced the date for the release of its fourth quarter and fiscal year ending December 31, 2024 Financial Results. 2024 Q4 and Year End Financial Results Omni-Lite will release its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2024 financial results premarket open on Monday April 21, 2025. Investor Conference Call Omni-Lite will host a conference call for investors on April 22, 2025, beginning at 4:00 P.M. (EDT) to discuss the Fiscal 2024 results and review of its business and operations. Conference Call Details To join the conference call, dial 888-437-3179 in the USA and Canada, or 862-298-0702 for all other countries. Please call five to ten minutes prior to the scheduled start time. A replay of the conference call will be available 48 hours after the call and archived on the Company's investors page of the Company's website at for 12 months. About Omni-Lite Industries Canada Inc. Omni-Lite Industries Canada Inc. is an innovative company that develops and manufactures mission critical, precision components utilized by Fortune 100 companies in the aerospace and defense industries. For further information, please contact: Mr. David Robbins Chief Executive Officer Tel. No. (562) 404-8510 or (800) 577-6664 Email: Website: Forward Looking Statements Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain 'forward-looking information' within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as 'plan', 'expect', 'project', 'intent', 'believe', 'anticipate', 'estimate' and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions 'may' or 'will' occur. Forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, the expected future performance of the Company. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance, or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward- looking information. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward- looking information include, but are not limited to: general economic conditions in Canada, the United States and globally; industry conditions, governmental regulation, including environmental consents and approvals, if and when required; stock market volatility; competition for, among other things, capital, skilled personnel and supplies; changes in tax laws; and the other risk factors disclosed under our profile on SEDAR at Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Sign in to access your portfolio
