'Shipping jobs away': BC Cons, federal Tories call for BC Ferries contract to be cancelled

Both the BC Conservatives and federal Conservatives have called for BC Ferries' big-money contract with a Chinese firm to be cancelled.

Harman Bhangu, the BC Conservatives’ transportation critic, told NowMedia this morning that BC Ferries, which is ultimately controlled by the BC government, should “work with our allied countries” instead of the People’s Republic of China to build the four new vessels.

Vancouver-based shipbuilder Seaspan, he said, “have time coming up in 2029,” meaning “they could probably take on one or two ferries.”

That aligns with the firm’s scheduled commitments to build auxiliary vessels for the Royal Canadian Navy and a new icebreaker for the Canadian Coastguard.

“[That would be] instead of shipping our hard-paid tax dollars off to China, where they interfere in our elections, they don't have the same principles and freedoms of life that we do,” Banghu said. “It's really concerning right now how every step of the way, whenever anything like this happens, we're just shipping jobs away.”

Premier David Eby has said he was disappointed in BC Ferries' decision to award the contract to a Chinese firm, but stressed that no Canadian bids were received.

He has also blamed the federal government for what he said was unfair treatment for BC when it comes to funding for ferries, highlighting the Maritimes in contrast.

But Banghu said Eby, who he branded "the most extreme premier in British Columbian history," and his government "have really taken the working class for granted" and "completely abandoned the union sector workers."

The federal Conservatives, meanwhile, succeeded earlier this week in persuading the Commons transport committee to launch a study into the $1 billion loan BC Ferries was given by the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) to fund the purchase of the vessels.

BC Ferries has not yet revealed how much the ferries, to be built by China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards, will cost, but the CIB said they “wouldn’t likely be purchased” without the low-cost loan from the Crown corporation.

The Tory effort to probe the loan was led by Okanagan West–South Kelowna MP Dan Albas, who discussed his intentions with NowMedia last month.

Albas wouldn’t say whether he or his party wanted to see the contract cancelled, however. But in a statement sent out to media today, the Tories said the Liberals should cancel the $1 billion CIB loan to BC Ferries.

“Canadian workers are ready to build the ships we need,” the party said. “But our industry can't compete with foreign state-backed shipbuilders that undercut on environmental standards, worker safety and wages.

“The Canadian government should never incentivize outsourcing Canadian jobs at the expense of our workers.”

It added: “Mark Carney promised Canadians that federal infrastructure funding would 'Buy Canadian.' Building these ferries in Canada would create much-needed demand for our steel and provide good-paying jobs right here at home. It's time for the Liberals to cancel the loan and ensure that tax dollars are putting our shipbuilders, workers and industry first.”

Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland, as well as Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson, will both be called to testify as part of the transport committee’s hearings.

Freeland wrote a letter to her BC counterpart, Mike Farnworth, on June 20 explaining that she was “dismayed” to learn of the BC Ferries contract.

Back in BC, the Opposition Conservatives have called on Premier Eby to use Bill 7 – designed to speed up infrastructure projects – to kill the deal.

“The law is crystal clear,” MLA Kiel Giddens said. “Premier Eby has the power—right now—to stop BC Ferries from buying ferries from China. The question is: will he use it?”