Canada's Top Admiral Says Navy in Critical State
Canada's understaffed and resource-stretched navy is in "a critical state" and might not be able to carry out its basic duties next year, the top admiral said in a YouTube video released this week.The comments by Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee are an unusually blunt expression of unhappiness from the military over the state of the armed forces. Canada only spends about 1.3% of its annual gross domestic product on defense, much less than the North Atlantic Treaty Organization target of 2%.In the video…
Fearing China, South Korea Targets Contractors on Taiwan Navy Submarines
South Korean authorities cited the risk of Chinese economic retaliation when they charged marine technology firm SI Innotec last year with violating trade laws for its work on Taiwan's new military submarine program, according to a police document seen by Reuters and two people familiar with the matter.In a Feb. 17, 2022, affidavit to a judge seeking the arrest of SI Innotec executive director Park Mal-sik, police said authorities feared a repeat of the sweeping sanctions imposed by Beijing in 2016, after Seoul decided to install THAAD, a U.S. anti-missile system.
Industry Urges Government to End Montreal Dockworkers Strike
Dockworkers at Canada's second largest port on Monday began their second strike in less than a year, as business leaders urged Ottawa to quickly end a walkout they said could cost the economy C$25 million ($20 million) a day.The federal Liberal government said on Sunday it would introduce special legislation to end the strike at the Port of Montreal, hoping to stop it from hurting the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.Unionized workers, in talks for a new contract since 2018…
Canadian company ships solid oil sands bitumen to China
A Canadian company has loaded a test cargo of solid bitumen onto a vessel destined for a refinery in China, the latest effort by the energy industry to avoid congested export pipelines and find new ways to export more oil sands crude.Calgary, Alberta-based Melius Energy loaded 130 barrels of neat bitumen, similar in consistency to a hockey puck, onto a 20-foot shipping container in Edmonton, Alberta, and transported it by rail to the Port of Prince Rupert in northern British Columbia.
Regulator: Expand Pipeline, Protect Killer Whales
Canada's National Energy Board (NEB) regulator recommended on Friday that Ottawa approve expansion of the government-owned Trans Mountain oil pipeline, but made new, nonbinding recommendations to mitigate harm to Pacific Ocean killer whales and the environment.The pipeline is in the national interest as it will create jobs and give Canadian oil access to more markets, the NEB said in a report. But expanding it is likely to significantly harm the killer whale population off the coast of British Columbia and increase greenhouse gas emissions from ships…
Davie: CTMA Ferry Procurement dogged by Legal Proceedings
The Coopérative de transport maritime et aérien’s (CTMA) procurement effort to purchase a ferry to replace the CTMA Vacancier and the CTMA Voyageur has been thrown into question by a court proceeding which alleges that the former government’s support for the acquisition was tainted with serious procedural irregularities and must be suspended and, ultimately, declared invalid.Last May, the outgoing Liberal government announced that financial support would be granted to CTMA for the acquisition of a new ship.
Future Frigates to Provide Shipbuilding Jobs: Aus Govt
Thousands of jobs will be created in South Australia as a result of the Malcolm Turnbull Government’s announcement that Australia’s nine Future Frigates will be designed by BAE and built by ASC Shipbuilding, says South Australian Liberal Government. Premier Steven Marshall said that South Australia will be the beneficiary of this $35 billion decision with many local businesses in the supply chain winning a share of the Coalition’s historic investment. “South Australia is now unquestionably the centre of naval shipbuilding in Australia,” said Premier Marshall. “This $35 billion program will deliver unprecedented economic benefit to the South Australian economy, with over 100 businesses already pre-qualifying with BAE to be part of the project.
Canada to Ban Tankers off North British Columbia
Canada's Liberal government has introduced legislation for a moratorium on oil tanker traffic along the northern coast of the British Columbia province, the country's transport department said on Friday, delivering on an election promise. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered the ban soon after the election in 2015, in which he took power on a pledge to balance resource development with protecting the environment. Friday's bill will likely pass because Trudeau's Liberals hold a majority in Parliament.
Canada Oil Spill Program Hit by Cheap Crude
The two-year oil price crash has hurt a Canadian government program that funds research on oil spill cleanups, resulting in fewer applicants than expected, a senior federal official said. As a result, the government will expand the scope of its Oil Spill Response Science Program and open a second call for applications this month, Marc Wickham, Natural Resources Canada's director of energy science and technology programs, said in an interview late last week. The program funds research that improves cleanup methods for marine oil spills. Those eligible include production, pipeline and shipping companies in the energy sector. Wickham spoke with Reuters after it obtained details of the program's amendment through an access-to-information request.
Producers, Shippers in North American Food Fight
The North American spat pitting Canada and Mexico against the United States over meat labels has sown confusion among producers and shippers in all three countries, with a trade war potentially just weeks away. The World Trade Organization on Monday authorized Canada and Mexico, the biggest markets for exported U.S. goods, to retaliate against the United States' meat-labeling rules, setting the annual level at C$1.055 billion for Canada and $228 million for Mexico. The United States took a step towards defusing the row on Wednesday when the U.S. Congress approved a spending bill that includes the repeal of federal laws mandating meatpackers identify where animals are raised and slaughtered.
British Columbia Readies for LNG Industry
British Columbia Finance Minister Mike de Jong has tabled a bill designed to spell out the rules for a proposed $45-billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry, placing the Liberal government’s pro-LNG agenda on a collision course with the NDP. The bill provides the legal authority for government to enable a project agreement with Pacific NorthWest LNG. “This is an opportunity for the public, for legislators to analyze and discuss the documents and the legislation that will breathe life into a whole new industry and whole era of opportunity in B.C.,” he said. B.C. Opposition NDP Leader John Horgan, however, said his party will be opposing the bill because it has flaws, stressing that the NDP is not against resource development.
Australian LNG investment is at risk, but not as much as feared
The Australian oil and gas industry is telling everybody that a second wave of investment in liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants is at risk unless labour and regulatory costs are cut. The companies are unlikely to get all that they want. In fact they may not get very much at all out of the labour unions and the federal and state governments. But it may not matter that much, because even with its high costs Australia remains one of the best places to invest the billions of dollars needed to develop a large-scale LNG project. Australia currently has seven LNG plants under construction. When all are completed by 2018 the nation will be the largest exporter of the super-cooled fuel, overtaking Qatar.
