Latest News from National Observer
National Observer
21 hours ago
- Business
- National Observer
Trans Mountain CEO offers to take on more pipelines
The CEO of Crown-owned pipeline operator Trans Mountain Corp. says it could take on other market-expanding pipeline projects if necessary, but that it would be preferable for the private sector to take the lead. Trade tumult in recent months with the United States — Canada's biggest customer for its crude oil — has intensified calls for Canada to build infrastructure that would allow its resources to flow to other global buyers. When the expanded Trans Mountain pipeline began shipping Alberta crude to the B.C. Lower Mainland just over a year ago, oilsands producers were finally able to meaningfully access lucrative Asian markets. Trans Mountain CEO Mark Maki said in an interview Friday there's an appetite for more pipeline egress to the Pacific coast and elsewhere. "The U.S. is a great customer. It will always be a great customer, but diversification of markets for the country is important," he said. He said Trans Mountain's owner — the Government of Canada — would prefer the private sector lead the way. "If that can't happen, and it's in the national interest, Trans Mountain is here," Maki said. His remarks came after Trans Mountain reported its operational and financial results for the first three months of 2025. Since oil started flowing through the expansion in May of last year, 266 crude vessels have been loaded, and third-party information suggests the destinations have been split between the U.S. West Coast and Asia. The expanded pipeline shipped an average of about 757,000 barrels per day during the quarter — below its capacity of 890,000 barrels per day. Maki said if the pipeline were running full, western Canadian heavy crude would see a steeper price discount against the easier-to-refine light crude sold on the global market. That would eat into the margins of Alberta producers. "You really don't want us 100 per cent full … What's important really is to keep a little bit of slack in the system," he said. As of now, the supply of crude hasn't caught up with takeaway capacity. "But when that happens, the crude differential blows out. And so having a little bit of wiggle room is important." Trans Mountain said there are economical ways to boost the pipeline's capacity if needed, such as adding chemical agents to reduce friction, which would enable more crude to flow through the line. Other options could include adding pumping horsepower or pipe segments. Those projects could together add up to 300,000 barrels per day of capacity. Trans Mountain said quarterly net income was $148 million, down from $158 million a year earlier. Its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization — a measure it says reflects the performance of its underlying business — were $568 million, compared to the $36 million it brought in a year earlier, before the pipeline expansion had started up. During the quarter, $311 million was paid to its parent Canada TMP Finance Ltd., which is itself owned by the Canada Development Investment Corp. That consisted of $148 million in interest payments and $163 million in cash dividends. The original Trans Mountain pipeline has been operating since the 1950s. In 2013, U.S. energy company Kinder Morgan filed a proposal to expand it at a cost of $5.4 billion, touching off a contentious regulatory review process marked by protests and legal challenges. Kinder Morgan suspended work in 2018 and shortly thereafter sold the pipeline to the federal government for $4.5 billion. By the time the expansion project was completed, its cost had ballooned to $34 billion. Maki said there's no hurry to bring Trans Mountain back into private hands. He said the expanded pipeline should get a little more operating history under its belt so a potential buyer can ascribe the proper value to it. A dispute over the tolls customers pay to use the line, currently before the Canada Energy Regulator, also needs to be sorted out, he said. There is also interest in potential Indigenous equity ownership in the line — when the time is right. Trans Mountain is in a "transitional" year where it is starting to pay dividends and is continuing some of the cleanup work from the pipeline construction. Next year will be a "much more normal" one, Maki said. "And so really probably at that point and out would make sense to start thinking about that."
National Observer
a day ago
- Politics
- National Observer
Quebec language office pressed transit agency for months before the Habs playoff run
Quebec's language watchdog contacted the Montreal transit agency at least six times in the wake of a complaint about using the word "go" on city buses to cheer on a local soccer team. The watchdog — the Office québécois de la langue française — asked for multiple updates on the agency's efforts to remove the word, and kept the complaint open for nine months until 'go' had been scrubbed from more than 1,000 city buses in Montreal, according to emails obtained by The Canadian Press. The correspondence contrasts with the office's public comments responding to an April report in the Montreal Gazette that revealed how the transit agency had replaced the expression 'Go! Canadiens Go!' on its buses with 'Allez! Canadiens Allez!' to appease the watchdog. The news report, coinciding with the Montreal Canadiens' first home game of the Stanley Cup playoffs, prompted a public outcry and elicited a declaration from French-language Minister Jean-François Roberge in support of the expression 'Go Habs Go!' At that time, the watchdog said it had 'contacted the (transit agency) to inform it of the complaint and remind it of its obligations under the (French-language) charter.' But the office didn't share details about the length of its review and the number of times it pressed transit officials for updates. The internal correspondence reveals how an adviser for the language office sent at least six emails to the transit agency between May 2024 and January 2025, informing the agency of a complaint and asking about its plans to fix the problem. The documents were obtained under access-to-information law. The complaint, received on April 29, 2024, related to city buses displaying the expression 'Go! CF Mtl Go!' – a reference to Montreal's professional soccer club. The transit agency initially responded to the language office in June 2024, explaining that such slogans give bus drivers 'a way to salute national sports teams.' Using the word 'go' kept the message shorter and prevented it from scrolling across the buses' electronic displays, the email explained. Still, the agency agreed to remove the word, but warned the process could take several months. In response, the adviser asked why the change couldn't be made 'over a few days when the vehicles are in the garage.' The transit agency replied that each bus had to have its display changed manually, using a USB key. In July, the language watchdog informed the agency that the complaint would remain open until all the buses had been changed. The adviser then followed up two more times over the fall and winter to request updates. Eventually, the transit agency reported in January that 1,002 of its 1,104 buses had been updated, and the remaining 102 buses were out of service. The language office then agreed to close the complaint, on condition that each of the remaining buses would be updated before returning to service. In an email statement to The Canadian Press, a spokesperson for the language watchdog said the correspondence is 'part of a normal process for handling a complaint.' The language office never received a complaint about 'Go Habs Go' and was never informed that the transit agency was planning not to use the word 'go' in relation to the hockey team, said Gilles Payer. He said the office would not have pursued a complaint about 'Go Habs Go,' since the expression is a trademark, which does not need to be translated. A spokesperson for Roberge told The Canadian Press the minister was not aware of the issue until the change was first reported in April. But the documents show his own department was informed of the complaint shortly after it was received and intended to participate in the review. According to Quebec's French-language charter, complaints involving public bodies must be flagged to the French-language department. The department did not respond to questions about its role in response to this complaint. Roberge's spokesperson Thomas Verville said the language office received more than 10,000 complaints last year. 'The minister does not intervene in the complaints received' by the office, he said. 'That would be political interference.' Still, Roberge announced in April that he had held 'several discussions' with the language office, and that any future complaints about the expression 'Go Habs Go' would 'be deemed inadmissible.' He said the slogan has been used for decades to support the Montreal Canadiens. He also said employees of the language office were receiving threats. Verville said there is a 'huge difference' between using the word 'go' in reference to the Montreal soccer team as compared to the Montreal Canadiens. He said fans of CF Montréal typically chant 'Allez Montréal' during matches, while 'Go Habs Go' has long been part of Quebec culture. He added Roberge spoke out specifically to defend the expression 'Go Habs Go,' which was not the subject of the original complaint. He did not say whether the minister opposes the use of the word 'go' in reference to other sports teams. A spokesperson for the transit agency said it is still in discussions with the language office to 'obtain official confirmation that we are allowed to use the word 'go' in a sporting context and that we will not be penalized if we do so.' The agency says no change will be made before the buses undergo regular maintenance in the fall. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025.
National Observer
a day ago
- Politics
- National Observer
Halting spy operation placed CSIS team in unnecessary danger, watchdog report concludes
A new spy watchdog report says an overseas Canadian Security Intelligence Service operation was suddenly halted by government officials, "creating unnecessary danger for the CSIS team" and raising questions about ministerial accountability. The National Security and Intelligence Review Agency found no written records indicating the decision to suspend the operation had been made by the CSIS director or the minister of public safety. The review agency says that unlike typical operational matters, the case involved senior political-level actors from across the federal government. The heavily redacted review agency report provides few clues about the actors in question or the nature of the overseas CSIS operation. However, it says the decision to halt the activities abroad in mid-operation caused harm to Canada's reputation, needlessly placed spies in danger and "raises serious concerns regarding CSIS's accountability mechanisms." In September 2022, the episode prompted Marco Mendicino, the public safety minister at the time, to ask the review agency to look at whether CSIS and the Public Safety Department were effectively supporting ministerial responsibility. Ultimately the sensitive operation in question was allowed to proceed after a delay. But the review reveals that senior CSIS officials had difficulty grappling with its temporary suspension. At one point the CSIS director sent an email to senior officials within key security and intelligence portfolios stating, "time is quickly running out and the situation is getting much more tense on the ground. We need a decision tomorrow." The report indicates there was also uncertainty over who had authority to resume the operation. The review agency found that CSIS and the Public Safety Department failed in their responsibilities to "provide timely and accurate information" to the public safety minister about elements of the operation. The report concludes the system of ministerial accountability for CSIS"is in need of serious attention." Building a stronger system now will help prepare for future operations and reduce the likelihood of a repeat of past confusion and risk, the report adds. It recommends that when a decision affecting an active CSIS operation is not made by the spy service's director or delegates, it must come as a direction from the public safety minister and should be accompanied by a written record. It also urges the public safety minister to ensure the deputy minister obtains any information required to fulfil their responsibility to provide independent advice to the minister about CSIS activities and operations. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025.
National Observer
a day ago
- Science
- National Observer
Dive-bombed or not, Vancouverites still pro-crow, researchers say
Along her journey towards understanding Vancouver's crows, psychology professor Suzanne MacDonald says she made a friend. It's a crow that brings her gifts after she set up a bird feeder at her home in the neighbourhood of Kitsilano. Once, it was a barnacle-covered shell, which MacDonald treasures. Other times, it was "bits of garbage" that MacDonald doesn't fancy much, though she "appreciates the sentiment." "I think he definitely recognizes me. When other people go out on my patio, he doesn't come to them. He knows me," said MacDonald. Vancouver has long had a love-hate relationship with its crows, whose dive-bombing attacks on pedestrians are a sure sign of springtime in the city. But a new survey co-authored by MacDonald suggests that, on the human side at least, it's mostly love. "I think that many people feel a deep connection to crows because they seem to see the world the way humans do: they are intelligent, excellent problem solvers, they recognize individual humans, and they are highly social, culturally complex beings," said MacDonald, a psychology professor at York University, who divides her time between Toronto and Vancouver. MacDonald and Laura Adams, who teaches psychology at Langara College, teamed up to survey hundreds of people in BC's Lower Mainland to examine their relationship with crows. They said 67 per cent of people had positive feelings about crows, compared to only five per cent with negative feelings, in findings released this month that the researchers hope will inform an academic publication later. As for the crows, many make their feelings known during the spring nesting season, when the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC says "overprotective" parent birds swoop on anyone who gets too close to a nest. It's a common experience across Vancouver — an online crowdsourced map of crow attacks in Vancouver is dotted with red crow symbols marking swooping sites gathered over several years. But Adams said most people felt "very positive" about crows, even if they had been dive-bombed. "We were really hoping to compare the types of people who loved crows and the types of people who had very negative opinions on crows because talking to the general public, people seem to be in both camps," said Adams. But it turns out most respondents were crow fans. "We found that 64 per cent of people said that they'd been dive-bombed by a crow. So, when you put that in the context of 67 per cent of people feeling very positive about crows, that means there are a lot of people who've been dive-bombed but still love crows," said Adams, "We found that really interesting." Many of the 468 survey respondents shared stories about their unique relationships with the birds. "I think one of the interesting parts is just how much people wanted to talk about crows for no reward at all," said Adams. Vancouver has even had its own celebrity crow, named Canuck, that was well known for riding the SkyTrain, stealing a knife from a crime scene in 2016, and forging an unlikely friendship with a mail carrier. Adams said the survey found 53 per cent of people felt crows were a symbol of Vancouver. Wildlife photographer Liron Gertsman has been fascinated with crows since he was five, and that obsession turned into a documentary, filmed with friend Jack Bailey. Their 10-minute production, "The Commute," captures the story of a massive murder of crows — up to 10,000 birds strong — that congregates at Still Creek in Burnaby at night. The huge flock is a familiar sight in Metro Vancouver skies, particularly in winter months. Gertsman called it an "incredible phenomenon." "They're just so smart," he said, as he described the challenge of locating the birds, only to turn up for more filming and "they'd be nowhere to be seen." "So, they were playing games with us a little bit. They were taking us on a not a wild-goose chase, but a wild-crow chase around the city," he said. Gertsman said that during filming he and Bailey were pooped on "all the time," but it didn't dampen their enthusiasm for their subjects and their "beautiful daily commute." He's still watching crows during the current nesting season. "There's a crow nest that is just barely visible outside my window, tucked into the tree, which is fun to watch," Gertsman said. "I think it's a lovely thing to be able to look outside your window in the morning and see a crow because it represents that little bit of nature that is able to exist within even a pretty big city." The Wildlife Rescue Association said nesting season lasts from April to July, meaning "anxious bird parents are out in full force" to protect their young. The association said it's seeing a spike in reports of fledgling crows on the ground, and there are 11 injured and orphaned crows in Wildlife Rescue's care. The organization's co-executive director, Linda Bakker, said it's common to find young crows on the ground in late spring as they learn to fly. Not all need help, but if a grounded bird looks like it's in trouble, people should can take a photo and contact Wildlife Rescue, she said. She said the group often gets calls from people asking how to deal with crow attacks. But she said that when it happened to her, she wasn't worried. "I was excited when it happened. I was like, oh, there's a crow, and he's protecting his nest. That's great. I will stay out of your way," said Bakker. MacDonald said it's important for people to understand how we live with other species, particularly in an urban environment where many animals have been pushed out. "But some of them, like crows, actually thrive with us, and that makes them very special," she said. MacDonald says daily encounters with crows should be seen as a reminder that "if we live in a city that has no wildlife, then we live in a dead city." "We want to live in a very vibrant city where nature is at our front door and our back door and everywhere, and crows remind us that is the case in the Lower Mainland." This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 30, 2025.
National Observer
a day ago
- Politics
- National Observer
US lawyer targeted by Trump warns Canada on AI and attacks on dissent
An American lawyer stripped of his security clearance by US President Donald Trump says Canadians need to be vigilant about attacks on political freedom south of the border. Mark Zaid, a speaker at the Web Summit Vancouver tech conference, said he never expected to get "attacked" by a sitting president over the work he's done in his three decades practising law, representing clients from the worlds of intelligence and national security. He said Canadians need to be wary of the rise of artificial intelligence that could be used to either target political dissent or shield it, warning that it's hard to prevent attacks on democratic norms, rather than react to them. Zaid said that there were rumours in Washington about how AI was potentially used to sniff out anti-Trump dissent. "This is more about whether or not political dissent is going to be tolerated, and so I think AI and the tech community is the next sort of shield," he said Thursday. Zaid is co-founder of the non-profit Whistleblower Aid and he said Canada is not immune to the forces that have shaped American political culture under Trump. "We share so much with our television, the news broadcasts, everything. We're watching each other all the time and so I think what's going on in the United States could easily happen in Canada, which I hope never will," he said. "But that's why you watch what's going on elsewhere to make sure it doesn't happen here." Zaid is suing Trump and others after the president stripped him of his security clearance at the same time as former president Joe Biden and other political figures. The lawyer had represented a whistleblower during the first Trump administration, and has practised law in the national security space since former president Bill Clinton was in power. He touts himself as non-partisan, and says he is registered as an independent. Zaid -- who said he didn't bring his cellphone across the border in case it got confiscated on his return -- said artificial intelligence may be in its "infancy" but it is at the "forefront of everything that's going on." He said technology's impacts on politics knows no borders, with social media bot accounts from outside the country demonstrating how "you don't any longer have to be local to be able to have an effect. In fact, you can be across the world." "Before Twitter became X, much of the disinformation that was being targeted at the United States during the elections in 2016 in particular was coming from overseas," he said. Zaid said the work Whistleblower Aid does in the US "is needed in every country around the world," to protect people who take great professional risks to reveal institutional wrongdoing and face potential political retribution. He said he'd recently began watching the television show "The Handmaid's Tale," based on Canadian author Margaret Atwood's book, which is "not a very positive thing to watch." "Canada is the home for US asylum seekers in 'Handmaid's Tale.' So for those of you who are Canadian, do not become our 51st state. Stay free, please," he said. "In both countries, the power is with the people to hold the government accountable, not the other way around." This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2025.
