Federal Transport Minister Freeland slams B.C. Ferries deal with Chinese company

China's building four new ferries for BC:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1932533553549725788

 

[daftandbarmy]

I'm no NDP hack, but this resolution gets a 'Hell Yeah' from me

NDP convention delegates call on their own government to build ferries in B.C.​

VICTORIA — Delegates attending the convention of British Columbia's New Democrats have called on their own government to build ferries in Canada and "prioritize" shipyards in B.C.

Delegates attending the convention of British Columbia's New Democrats have called on their own government to build ferries in Canada and "prioritize" shipyards in B.C.

The appeal comes in form of a resolution backed by the BC Federation of Labour and BC Building Trade among others, and follows BC Ferries' decision to contract a shipyard owned by China's communist government to build four new major vessels, with BC Ferries citing costs and a lack of local capacity for the decision.

Brynn Bourke, executive director of BC Building Trade, says the provincial shipping industry has reached what she calls an "inflection point" in pointing to the political support that the shipping industries in Germany and Poland receive from their respective governments.

Bourke says B.C. "must act now" if the province ever wants to see ferry construction return to the province.

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/ndp-convention-delegates-call-on-their-own-government-to-build-ferries-in-bc-11494445

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I hope the Union reps are calling them on Monday to reinforce the message. If the Conservatives have any brains, they be calling the unions and saying "This is an area where we are in step"

 

[SeaKingTacco]

In a world where kill switches are being found by the Danes and the Swedes in chinese built buses and the Israelis found spyware in their chinese built electric cars, BC ferries “brilliant” plan is to let China build ferries?

 

[Jarnhamar]

I'm no NDP hack, but this resolution gets a 'Hell Yeah' from me

NDP convention delegates call on their own government to build ferries in​

Except companies hired to work must be composed of 50% non-white, non-male identifying workers.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Except companies hired to work must be composed of 50% non-white, non-male identifying workers.

I think the real challenge is capacity.

All the current shipyards are full, for years, so creating any new capacity would cost bejillions and take years.

 

[CBH99]

In a world where kill switches are being found by the Danes and the Swedes in chinese built buses and the Israelis found spyware in their chinese built electric cars, BC ferries “brilliant” plan is to let China build ferries?

I mean, not to detract from what your saying, but the Israelis can eat a coconut when it comes to anything spyware related...

 

[SeaKingTacco]

I mean, not to detract from what your saying, but the Israelis can eat a coconut when it comes to anything spyware related...

I am agnostic about the second part of your sentence, but the fact that they both made it public and made a specific allegation against China means there is something there.

 

[Brad Sallows]

I was gutted to learn that the Chinese put spyware in their products.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I was gutted to learn that the Chinese put spyware in their products.

Let us hope they ordered their spyware from Wish.

 

[Navy_Pete]

I hope the Union reps are calling them on Monday to reinforce the message. If the Conservatives have any brains, they be calling the unions and saying "This is an area where we are in step"

And build them where, exactly? Could maybe be done in VSY, but depends on the size if it will fit as a lot of ferries are bigger than JSS, but huge difference if it's an aluminium hull, and their order book if full for the near future. Same reason the fast cat ferries were built overseas; there wasn't a Canadian yard that could build them, even if we wanted them to.

Build in Canada is a nice high level policy, but it does include exemptions for a reason, because sometimes just doesn't make sense.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

We built the Spirt class in 2-3 different shipyards. MV Spirit of British Columbia - Wikipedia

 

[RangerRay]

Same reason the fast cat ferries were built overseas; there wasn't a Canadian yard that could build them, even if we wanted them to.

I distinctly remember when BC Ferries ordered them, one of the “features” was that they were to be built in B.C. One of the reasons why they cost so much. The newer Coastal-class ferries were built in Germany.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

And build them where, exactly? Could maybe be done in VSY, but depends on the size if it will fit as a lot of ferries are bigger than JSS, but huge difference if it's an aluminium hull, and their order book if full for the near future. Same reason the fast cat ferries were built overseas; there wasn't a Canadian yard that could build them, even if we wanted them to.

Build in Canada is a nice high level policy, but it does include exemptions for a reason, because sometimes just doesn't make sense.

Fast Cats were built in North Vancouver, among the first to bring fast RO/RO at standard terminals to high speed ferries.