Freeland Recalled to Parliamentary Committee Over BC Ferries Deal

Former Canadian Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland will once again testify before a parliamentary committee after new documents revealed that BC Ferries planned to purchase four ferries from a Chinese shipyard using a $1 billion loan from the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB).

Although Freeland claimed in June that she had been “dismayed” and caught off guard by the decision, emails published by The Globe and Mail suggest her department had known since April. BC Ferries president Nicolas Jimenez had informed Deputy Minister Arun Thangaraj of the negotiations with China.

B.C. Premier David Eby also criticized Ottawa, calling it “absurd” that Eastern Canadian ferries received direct federal funding, while BC Ferries was limited to a low-interest loan.

Bloc Québécois MP Xavier Barsalou-Duval, who introduced the motion, said the public had been misled. Conservatives are calling for the contract to be cancelled and construction moved to Canada, citing rising Chinese tariffs and the threat to Canadian jobs.

Freeland resigned as Minister of Transport on September 16 to become Canada’s special representative for Ukrainian reconstruction, while retaining her seat as MP.