The Trudeau government has long characterized it as a dispassionate policy exercise drawing on expert evidence.
But the political drumbeats are growing louder — at home and abroad — as the federal Liberals come closer to deciding whether to let a Chinese telecom firm help build Canada’s next-generation mobile networks.
The development of 5G, or fifth-generation, networks will give people speedier connections and provide vast data capacity to meet the ceaseless demand for emerging applications, like virtual reality and autonomous driving, as more and more things link to the internet.
In Canada, China-based Huawei Technologies, Sweden’s Ericsson and Finland’s Nokia are among the leading candidates to help telecommunication firms such as BCE and Telus build their 5G networks.
Pressure to limit Huawei
The opposition Conservatives are pressing the Liberals to deny Huawei a role in assembling the country’s 5G infrastructure, alleging it will allow Beijing to spy on Canadians more easily.
Some security experts say Huawei’s participation could give it access to an array of digital data gleaned from how, when and where Canadian customers use their electronic devices. In turn, the theory goes, Chinese security agencies could pressure the company into handing over the personal information.
Such fears stem from the fact China’s National Intelligence Law plainly states that Chinese organizations and citizens shall support, assist and co-operate with state intelligence work.
At a forum in Halifax last November, Donald Trump’s national security adviser urged Ottawa to bar Huawei from 5G efforts because the technology would be used as a “Trojan horse” to undermine Canada.
Harjit Singh Sajjan, minister of national defence, arrives for the opening news briefing before the start of the Halifax International Security Forum in Halifax on Friday November 22, 2019. U.S. delegates warned Canada at the conference about the security risks associated with Huawei. (Tim Krochak/The Canadian Press)
The warning came a day after China’s ambassador to Canada, Cong Peiwu, dismissed the notion Huawei could compromise users’ security by installing “back-door” channels in equipment, calling it a “groundless accusation.”
Huawei emphasizes it is not a state-controlled enterprise and that it would never do the bidding of spymasters from China or any other country.
Benjamin Howes, a Huawei Canada vice-president for international media affairs, notes the company’s involvement in Canada’s existing 4G networks has never led to any such security incident.
He points to Huawei’s $650-million investment in research and development in Canada since 2009, with major labs in Ottawa, Toronto, Waterloo, Ont., Montreal and Vancouver, as well as plans for one in Quebec City.
“In every country where we have a business presence, we’re committed to complying with the applicable laws and regulations, and Canada is no different,” Howes said. “So we will continue to be compliant, as we have been over the decade that we’ve been here, with Canadian laws and regulations.”
Decision expected soon
Ottawa is carrying out a comprehensive review of Huawei’s potential role in 5G that includes a broader, strategic look at how the technology can foster economic growth.
Given the scope of the review, several agencies — Public Safety Canada, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the Communications Security Establishment, Global Affairs and Innovation, Science and Economic Development — are taking part.
“We will ensure that our networks are kept secure and will take the appropriate decisions in due course,” said Scott Bardsley, a spokesman for Public Safety Minister Bill Blair.
The government has been tight-lipped about the exercise, but the results are expected relatively soon.
“We respect the process, and we just hope that it’s going to be based on technology and security, not politics,” Howes said.
However, the public debate already has been tinged by political developments.
Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, a senior Huawei executive, in December 2018 at the request of the United States, where she is wanted over allegations of violating sanctions on Iran. Her extradition case is before a Canadian court.
The move angered Beijing and two Canadians working in China were arrested soon after on vague allegations of endangering national security — a move widely seen as retaliation against Ottawa.
Five Eyes allies
The U.S. and Australia, key intelligence allies of Canada, already have taken steps to curb Huawei’s participation in 5G networks.
Canada will be watching closely for Britain’s coming decision on Huawei’s participation in its 5G projects. If Boris Johnson’s new government adopts the Australian and U.S. line, it could be more politically challenging for Canada to embrace Huawei.
Ottawa’s examination of 5G technology and the associated security and economic dimensions will include “the careful consideration of our allies’ advice,” Bardsley said.
For its part, Huawei insists it will remain committed to Canada, no matter how the 5G microchips fall.
“Regardless of the decision, our position is we will continue to serve our customers in Canada with our products and networks,” Howes said. “And we will continue to enhance our investments in R and D.”
VANCOUVER – Contract negotiations resume today in Vancouver in a labour dispute that has paralyzed container cargo shipping at British Columbia’s ports since Monday.
The BC Maritime Employers Association and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 are scheduled to meet for the next three days in mediated talks to try to break a deadlock in negotiations.
The union, which represents more than 700 longshore supervisors at ports, including Vancouver, Prince Rupert and Nanaimo, has been without a contract since March last year.
The latest talks come after employers locked out workers in response to what it said was “strike activity” by union members.
The start of the lockout was then followed by several days of no engagement between the two parties, prompting federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to speak with leaders on both sides, asking them to restart talks.
MacKinnon had said that the talks were “progressing at an insufficient pace, indicating a concerning absence of urgency from the parties involved” — a sentiment echoed by several business groups across Canada.
In a joint letter, more than 100 organizations, including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Business Council of Canada and associations representing industries from automotive and fertilizer to retail and mining, urged the government to do whatever it takes to end the work stoppage.
“While we acknowledge efforts to continue with mediation, parties have not been able to come to a negotiated agreement,” the letter says. “So, the federal government must take decisive action, using every tool at its disposal to resolve this dispute and limit the damage caused by this disruption.
“We simply cannot afford to once again put Canadian businesses at risk, which in turn puts Canadian livelihoods at risk.”
In the meantime, the union says it has filed a complaint to the Canada Industrial Relations Board against the employers, alleging the association threatened to pull existing conditions out of the last contract in direct contact with its members.
“The BCMEA is trying to undermine the union by attempting to turn members against its democratically elected leadership and bargaining committee — despite the fact that the BCMEA knows full well we received a 96 per cent mandate to take job action if needed,” union president Frank Morena said in a statement.
The employers have responded by calling the complaint “another meritless claim,” adding the final offer to the union that includes a 19.2 per cent wage increase over a four-year term remains on the table.
“The final offer has been on the table for over a week and represents a fair and balanced proposal for employees, and if accepted would end this dispute,” the employers’ statement says. “The offer does not require any concessions from the union.”
The union says the offer does not address the key issue of staffing requirement at the terminals as the port introduces more automation to cargo loading and unloading, which could potentially require fewer workers to operate than older systems.
The Port of Vancouver is the largest in Canada and has seen a number of labour disruptions, including two instances involving the rail and grain storage sectors earlier this year.
A 13-day strike by another group of workers at the port last year resulted in the disruption of a significant amount of shipping and trade.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
The Royal Canadian Legion says a new partnership with e-commerce giant Amazon is helping boost its veterans’ fund, and will hopefully expand its donor base in the digital world.
Since the Oct. 25 launch of its Amazon.ca storefront, the legion says it has received nearly 10,000 orders for poppies.
Online shoppers can order lapel poppies on Amazon in exchange for donations or buy items such as “We Remember” lawn signs, Remembrance Day pins and other accessories, with all proceeds going to the legion’s Poppy Trust Fund for Canadian veterans and their families.
Nujma Bond, the legion’s national spokesperson, said the organization sees this move as keeping up with modern purchasing habits.
“As the world around us evolves we have been looking at different ways to distribute poppies and to make it easier for people to access them,” she said in an interview.
“This is definitely a way to reach a wider number of Canadians of all ages. And certainly younger Canadians are much more active on the web, on social media in general, so we’re also engaging in that way.”
Al Plume, a member of a legion branch in Trenton, Ont., said the online store can also help with outreach to veterans who are far from home.
“For veterans that are overseas and are away, (or) can’t get to a store they can order them online, it’s Amazon.” Plume said.
Plume spent 35 years in the military with the Royal Engineers, and retired eight years ago. He said making sure veterans are looked after is his passion.
“I’ve seen the struggles that our veterans have had with Veterans Affairs … and that’s why I got involved, with making sure that the people get to them and help the veterans with their paperwork.”
But the message about the Amazon storefront didn’t appear to reach all of the legion’s locations, with volunteers at Branch 179 on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive saying they hadn’t heard about the online push.
Holly Paddon, the branch’s poppy campaign co-ordinator and bartender, said the Amazon partnership never came up in meetings with other legion volunteers and officials.
“I work at the legion, I work with the Vancouver poppy office and I go to the meetings for the Vancouver poppy campaign — which includes all the legions in Vancouver — and not once has this been mentioned,” she said.
Paddon said the initiative is a great idea, but she would like to have known more about it.
The legion also sells a larger collection of items at poppystore.ca.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
