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Vancouver Sun
a day ago
- Business
- 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.
Vancouver Sun
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Postmedia's Kim Bolan one of three honoured for courageous reporting by Canadian Association of Journalists
Postmedia News reporter Kim Bolan was one of three Canadian journalists recognized at an awards ceremony in Calgary this weekend for their contributions to the craft. The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) announced that Bolan, Daniel Renaud and David Pugliese won the prestigious Charles Bury President's Award. 'Kim, Daniel and David have all exhibited incredible levels of courage and determination to persevere through unprecedented challenges to tell stories that matter,' said CAJ president Brent Jolly. 'They are living proof that even in today's fragmented age, journalism matters. The power of the pen to tell the truth and expose wrongdoing is an endeavour that is so vital to the proper functioning of our society.' 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. Bolan has reported for the Vancouver Sun since 1984. She has reported on wars in El Salvador, Guatemala and Afghanistan, covered the Air India terrorist attack and its aftermath, and spent much of her career 'shining a spotlight on a long list of minority, women's, education and social service issues,' said the CAJ in a news release on Sunday. Bolan was also the first Canadian to win the International Women's Media Foundation's Courage in Journalism Award in 1999. 'Despite numerous threats on her life over the past 40 years from gangs and militant groups, Bolan's commitment to the craft has been unwavering,' Jolly said. Renaud, who works for La Presse in Montreal, was honoured after reports surfaced last year that chronicled how he had been targeted for assassination for reporting on organized crime in 2021. Pugliese has been with Postmedia's Ottawa Citizen for more than 40 years and specializes in covering the ever-secretive Department of National Defence. Last year, he was accused of being a paid KGB agent in the 1980s by a former federal cabinet minister testifying at a House of Commons committee meeting on Russian political interference. Jolly called the allegations, which have never been repeated outside Parliament, 'nothing more than a McCarthy-esque smear job.' The Charles Bury Award was presented last year to the Committee to Protect Journalists for their commitment to ensuring the safety and security of journalists who work in some of the most dangerous environments around the world. The annual award recognizes both organizations and individual journalists for contributing to a free press. jruttle@
Calgary Herald
07-05-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Canadians are bracing for more food inflation amid U.S. trade war: new report
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Despite continued affordability concerns, trust in all food institutions increased, the second issue of the Canadian Food Sentiment Index shows Nearly 85 per cent of respondents reported that food prices have increased over the last 12 months. Photo by James Park/Postmedia News Food prices remain top of mind for many, according to the second issue of the bi-annual Canadian Food Sentiment Index by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab (AAL). THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Calgary Herald ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Calgary Herald ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Nearly 85 per cent of respondents reported that food prices have increased over the last 12 months. There was also a 'dramatic' shift of perception in where food inflation might be headed over the next year. In the face of trade-war uncertainty, more than one in four Canadians are bracing for double-digit inflation. Respondents expecting 'more than 10 per cent' inflation jumped from 18.6 per cent in fall 2024 to 28.5 per cent in spring 2025. Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again 'It's not surprising that food is still a very big concern, and I think that's important in itself because we have been focused on affordability of food for quite some time,' says Stacey Taylor, an assistant professor of business analytics at Cape Breton University and one of the report's authors. Based on responses from roughly 3,000 respondents across the country every six months, the Canadian Food Sentiment Index was inspired by Purdue University's Consumer Food Insights report on Americans. The index measures Canadians' perceptions and attitudes on issues ranging from food affordability to consumer trust. According to the Canadian Food Sentiment Index, people are most concerned about the rising cost of food, leading all categories, including housing, utilities and transportation. 'Six months ago, most people believed we were seeing the light at the end of the tunnel: 'It's almost over. Everything is going to return to normal.' But then, we surveyed people again in March and saw that, so, no. It's not going anywhere,' says Armağan Özbilge, another of the report's authors and an assistant professor in Dalhousie University's Faculty of Management. As long as the trade war continues, Özbilge expects worries to persist. And though we won't necessarily see a 10 per cent increase, some foods, such as fruit, will be 'significantly more expensive.' The pessimistic outlook shared by some Canadians is a valid one. Though food inflation stabilized in 2024, Sylvain Charlebois, senior director of the AAL and author of the report, predicts an increase. 'We're expecting things to get a little dicey for consumers this year compared to last year, but we're not going to go back to the 10 or 11 per cent that we saw a few years ago because of the illegal invasion of Ukraine.' In contrast to claims of greedflation and price gouging during 2023's affordability crisis, the Canadian Food Sentiment Index suggests that consumers' wariness of grocers may be in the rearview mirror. Trust in all food institutions increased from fall 2024 to spring 2025. Independent grocers experienced the largest gain, but confidence increased across the board, from major grocers and food manufacturers to farmers' market merchants and government agencies. They're not huge increases, highlights Taylor, but represent a positive shift. '(Trust) is going to be really important, especially now with what's going on with the trade wars and the continued inflation.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Faith in independent grocers, in particular, indicates that people are starting to think about where they're buying their food — not just what they're purchasing, says Charlebois. 'Independents have struggled the last little while. People are paying more attention to the smaller shops — the independently owned and the Canadian-owned shops — that are out there offering unique and innovative products.' Charlebois adds that getting in front of consumers can be challenging for food entrepreneurs. 'It's always tough to deal with larger grocers. If you have independents willing to give it a shot, that's good news for innovation. That's good news for variety and consumers.' According to the report, 10 per cent of respondents buy local foods more often than they did six months ago, which the authors attributed in part to the availability of spring produce as well as the 'Buy Canadian' movement. Nearly half (43.5 per cent) choose local foods always or often. 'People are seeking more Canadian food. More people are checking the origin of the items they're purchasing,' says Özbilge. Taylor adds: 'Never in my life have I seen such patriotism in Canada, and it's really coming through in all that we're doing. And so it's great to see, certainly, when people go to the grocery store and see that 'made in Canada,' or '100 per cent Canadian-made' or whatever it may be. It focuses their attention on where their food is coming from, and I don't think that's ever a bad idea.' Affordability (42 per cent) remains the leading factor driving food purchases, followed by nutrition (25 per cent) and taste (18 per cent). Respondents are checking best-before dates more often, and on the sustainability front, recycling food packaging increased, and reducing food waste at home improved. 'Sustainability is getting back to people's minds as they're trying to shake off this monetary pressure,' says Özbilge. He notes that many people misunderstand best-before dates. They're an indicator of food quality — not food safety. 'When I see those trends, they're minimal, but I think they might be meaningful towards reducing waste.' The report suggests that spending on food service is increasing year-over-year (+3.8 per cent) while retail is decreasing (-0.58 per cent). Canada is a world leader in remote work, Charlebois underscores. Full-time employees spend nearly two days a week at home, according to the Global Survey of Working Arrangements. He sees the uptick in service as a sign that even when working remotely, there's a desire to go to coffee shops or restaurants to socialize, which could create opportunities for establishments in the suburbs versus downtown cores. Compared to fall 2024, more people are buying in bulk and opting for generic or store brands over brand-name products. The Canadian Food Sentiment Index also shows an increase in purchasing grass-fed beef and cage-free eggs. The popularity of the omnivorous diet (no specific restrictions) dropped, while others, including flexitarian (primarily plant-based with occasional consumption of animal products), paleo, vegan and keto, increased. Despite its emphasis on affordability and expectations of double-digit inflation, the Canadian Food Sentiment Index suggests many are taking a holistic view — not just focusing on pocketbook issues. 'I think this report indicates the end of the food inflation storm we've been in for the last few years,' says Charlebois. 'People are starting to think about what they're eating again instead of just trying to survive.' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our cookbook and recipe newsletter, Cook This, here.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pamela Anderson shows off bold bob on Met Gala red carpet
Pamela Anderson has stepped away from her Vancouver Island retreat and onto the red carpet of the 2025 Met Gala. And she did so sporting a bold new bob. The Ladysmith resident and Pamela's Cooking With Love TV show star was photographed at the fashion event in New York City wearing her trademark platinum-blond locks — in a sleek snipped cut with blunt bangs. Anderson wore a glittering silver-grey gown with long sleeves by American designer Tory Burch. The Last Showgirl actor and Golden Globe Award nominee was joined at 'fashion's biggest night out' by her son, Brandon Thomas Lee. Lee also joined Anderson on the red carpet of the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscars Party last March. In an interview with Postmedia News in December, Anderson shared her outlook on trying new things with her beauty routine. 'I'm living just like any woman. And I try different hairstyles,' said Anderson, about the ongoing internet buzz about her hair and no-makeup makeup of late. 'I was really kind of drawn to the no-makeup makeup kind of thing because I'm still trying to figure out who I am underneath it all,' Anderson added. 'I feel like I've been playing characters my whole life, in my personal life, and now that I get to play them in films and movies, I can actually just be myself.' The less-is-more approach to makeup doesn't mean Anderson has given up on those beauty industry staples. The star says she still loves makeup, despite leaning in to wearing less of it these days. 'I love getting glammed up for photoshoots and for events, sometimes,' Anderson said. 'Tomorrow, I could wear a full face of makeup. I just wanted to be able to have the freedom of walking around and walking outside without feeling like I needed three hours in a makeup chair. 'It was just starting to get a little bit crazy.' Anderson made her debut at the Met Gala debut last year, where she wore an Oscar de la Renta gown. An annual benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in Manhattan, this year's Met Gala theme was Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. The evening included an accompanying dress code for attendees, which includes some of the biggest names in music, acting and more, was 'Tailored for You.' —With files from Dana Gee, Postmedia News Aharris@ Catching up with Pamela Anderson: The Last Showgirl is bringing former Baywatch star respect 'My heart goes out to everybody,' B.C.'s Pamela Anderson says of Los Angeles wildfires
National Post
02-05-2025
- National Post
Accused killer in Lapu Lapu Day tragedy to appear in B.C. court Friday
As Vancouver tries to move to a new normal after Saturday's mass killing at a Filipino festival, accused killer Kai-ji Adam Lo will make his next appearance in court Friday afternoon. Article content Article content Lo, who is facing eight counts of second-degree murder, was supposed to be back in Vancouver provincial court May 26, but Damienne Darby of the B.C. Prosecution Service said the date change was requested by Lo's lawyer, Mark Swartz. Article content Article content Vancouver police Sgt. Steve Addison confirmed Thursday that Lo had a valid B.C. driver's licence despite his history of mental-health interactions with police. Article content Postmedia News reported that just the day before the vehicle rampage, Lo contacted Richmond RCMP and told an officer he was worried that someone was throwing things in the back of his vehicle. The call was documented in the police database PRIME, where VPD officers saw it after Lo was arrested. Article content Addison said that of the surviving victims 13 remain in hospital — four in critical condition and two in serious condition. Article content 'All of the streets have now reopened,' he said. 'We really thank everybody for their patience and understanding, particularly people who live in the neighbourhood, particularly people who have businesses in the neighbourhood that were impacted by the rather large closures that were there.' Article content Investigators are still looking for more witnesses and want the public to turn over any video or photo evidence they have. The VPD said the community support centre set up on East 43rd Avenue will remain open all weekend from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Article content Article content VPD Insp. Jeff Neuman said Thursday that additional resources will be in place for this weekend's BMO marathon, as well as other events and protests scheduled in the city. Four hundred officers will be working, including 200 'deployed to the marathon,' Neuman said. Both heavy-vehicle and light-vehicle barriers will be in place. Article content Article content Article content Addison also provided information about the VPD's mental-health services, which include an investigative unit with 21 constables and two sergeants, as well as the Car 87 program — a joint initiative with Vancouver Coastal Health, where eight officers are partnered with nurses to respond to mental-health crises. Article content VCH confirmed earlier that Lo was on an extended release from hospital and in the care of a mental-health team at the time of the murders. Article content But Richmond Coun. Kash Heed said Eby should have been doing more. Heed brought a motion to his city council that passed 18 months ago urging the province to create more 'secure care for individuals suffering from acute drug addiction and critical mental illness.'
