Topic
Foreign-staffed mines in BC, Nexen on the block and the FIPA giveaway... wake up Canada!
Flag image via Shutterstock.
Who needs democracy? Secret treaty is a massive giveaway of Canadian resources and rights with no vote in Parliament.
BC kills jobs by importing foreign coal diggers. Will it kill workers too?
Labour demands BC gov't pull Temporary Worker Program permits for Chinese-backed mines while it probes possible illegal fee charges to workers.
"Let China sleep, for when she awakes, she will shake the world." -- Napoleon Bonaparte, 1769-1821
How will Canada deal with the China challenge to our national sovereignty?
It may be the most important question facing the country, with far more dire consequences than the election of a separatist provincial government in Quebec.
Is Canada sleepwalking towards a future day when a communist-ruled undemocratic China has significant control of key parts of our economy? The evidence is mounting.
This month we learned the BC Liberal and federal Conservative governments are jointly allowing up to 2,000 miners from China to operate as many as four planned coal mines, despite that country having the deadliest coal industry in the world.
The Canadian Dehua International Mines Group, which is planning all four mines, claims it cannot find any Canadian coal miners to fill the jobs, but the United Steelworkers union discovered that ads advertising the positions listed speaking Mandarin as a requirement. The jobs also pay as little as half the going Canadian pay rates for miners.
A spokesperson for one of the companies partnering in the mine, HD Mining International, said the ads were a mistake and have been withdrawn.
Then there's the proposed $15-billion purchase of Calgary-based oil and gas giant Nexen Inc. by Chinese state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corporation -- a deal the federal government must approve before it can proceed.
Nexen shareholders have already approved the acquisition and no wonder -- CNOOC is willing to pay a 66 per cent premium on its average trading price.
But will the Conservative government risk both Chinese government and Nexen shareholder anger by rejecting the deal as not having a "net benefit" to Canada?
The odds seemed strongly stacked against that.
Interest in resources, telecom
Conservative International Trade Minister Ed Fast was quick to say that the government decision last week to reject the $5.2 billion takeover of Calgary-based Progress Energy Resources by Petronas, the Malaysian state-owned company, doesn't mean the CNOOC acquisition of Nexen will be rejected.
"This decision does not set a precedent because every single application is considered on its own merits," Fast said. "Each application has its own specific circumstances that are being brought to bear."
That's hardly reassuring to anyone concerned about loss of Canadian ownership of key natural resources.
Yet key U.S. Democrats oppose the Nexen takeover by CNOOC, something that may affect Harper's decision.
Howard Dean, the influential former Vermont governor and Democratic presidential nomination contender, is warning Canada could face a U.S. backlash if it authorizes a CNOOC purchase of Nexen.
"I personally don't think that's a good idea for either Canadian or American assets," Dean told Tom Clark on Global News program The West Block.
There are also questions about the role of Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies in Canada.
Earlier this month the Conservative government made an unusual comment about the possibility that Huawei might bid on rebuilding Ottawa's telecommunications network.
A U.S. Congressional committee alleged on Oct. 9 that: Huawei was "already known to be a major perpetrator of cyber espionage." Huawei "unequivocally denies" those claims.
The next day Andrew MacDougall, Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper's communications director, made this less than cryptic comment: "The government's going to be choosing carefully in the construction of this network, and it has invoked the national security exception for the building of this network.
"I'm not going to comment on any one company in particular. I'll leave it to you if you think Huawei should be a part of a Canadian government security system," MacDougall said.
Ironically, perhaps, many Canadians are the proud owners of Huawei cell phones.
The biggest threat
But perhaps the biggest threat is Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper's plan to implement the Canada-China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) by Nov. 1.
Gus Van Harten, an Osgoode Hall law professor and global authority on international trade deals, says he is "deeply concerned about the implications for Canada" and urges the government to reconsider based on 14 different reasons.
"The legal consequences of the treaty will be irreversible by any Canadian court, legislature or other decision-maker for 31 years after the treaty is given effect," Van Harten wrote in a letter to Harper, adding that it has a 15-year minimum term.
Other key arguments against the China-Canada treaty include that in order to sue under its provisions, a Chinese company requires only a minority share in any Canadian enterprise or other asset in Canada and that "Chinese asset-owners in Canada will be able, at their option, to challenge Canadian legislative, executive, or judicial decisions outside of the Canadian legal system and Canadian courts."
In another analysis, The Tyee's Andrew Nikiforuk describes the agreement as "economic treason."
Napoleon Bonaparte eventually met his Waterloo -- is the Canada-China deal our fatal losing battle on national sovereignty? ![[Tyee]](http://thetyee.cachefly.net/ui/img/ico_fishie.png){kind=small}
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Fiat lux
30 weeks ago
The leaderships of all
The leaderships of all religions, ideologies and oppressions have always been the same people, wanting to rule.
Communist and capitalist leaderships are brotherhoods, with the same intentions to enslave the world and "take".....
The communists will keep and set up Canadian companies where our "conservative" politicians can be welcomed as directors, the same way Mulroney was rewarded for his FTA and NAFTA rackets.
The last I heard he was making some $1.5 million per year for his efforts. We can only guess how much Harper & Co. will be getting from the communists.
What else is new?
Ed Deak.
sunshine coast girl
30 weeks ago
You have until the end of October to stop this, or we're screwed
As hard as the many different groups in BC are working to stop Enbridge's pipeline and expanded oil tanker in BC plans, it will all be a moot point at the end of October this year, when the Harper government ratifies the Canada-China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPPA).
And as much as Christy Clark would like to position herself as our champion, thereby attempting to pull her government out of the gutter in advance of next May's election, the ONLY way that she can show British Columbians that she is serious about this issue is to challenge the constitutionality of this Agreement in court, asking that it not be ratified until the courts have reached a decision.
Otherwise, Canada will be locked into a 31 year agreement, and any BC provincial government who objects or interferes with the profit margin, or forecasted profit margin of any of the oil and/or gas Chinese investors in BC, will be risking being sued by any of these companies. This Agreement also protects these companies from any demonstrations planned by citizens. Correct me if I'm wrong. I did not realize that the Prime Minister had the authority to sign multi-year Agreements affecting provinces without at least consulting them first.
Scarry, scary stuff. Question is: Will Christy do what needs to be done, or will she continue to deliberately muddy the waters with her staged theatre?
pwlg
30 weeks ago
is history repeating itself
Can't help but think of the end of the 19th Century when China, overrun by foreign governments and their corporations, decided to throw the foreigners out.
"Throughout the nineteenth century, China's emperors had watched as foreigners encroached further and further upon their
land. As a new century was about to begin, Tsu Hsi, empress dowager of the Ch'ing Dynasty, searched for a way to rid her empire of foreign parasites."
China failed to rid itself entirely of foreign influence, US "Open Door" policy until after WWII but the people did rid itself of the Imperial Ch'ing dynasty.
Governments can topple when its policies no longer serve its inhabitants.
kootenay
29 weeks ago
Ottawa, 100,000 Strong
What we need now, and I mean right now, is 100,000+ people occupying the lawn in front of the Federal Parliament.
Only 7 more days until Harper gives our Country's resources and our lively hoods away to the Chinese for 31 very long years.
Are we really going to let him get away with this without so much as a fart in his general direction?
Van Isle
29 weeks ago
Hey Kootenay
I know a quicker way of getting Chairman Steves attention; have a general strike across Canada.
Hakuin
29 weeks ago
A little preview
http://www.rollcall.com/news/-218019-1.html
dunngy59
29 weeks ago
Hey Van Isle
There's a quicker way than a general strike.
OwlRol
29 weeks ago
Mistakes, advice and losing more than face
"HD Mining International, said the ads were a mistake and have been withdrawn."
Ha ha, no mistake, except to keep the Mandarin requirement secret.
Once worked in an employment agency. The law said "No discrimination based on race, gender, etc. But after the seemingly neutral interviews, a number of resumes went straight into the waste bin and these not for incompetence or lack of qualifications. No questions asked.
Oh well, Canadian society has long been, and still is to a lesser extent and mostly in private, very discriminatory. So this is the reverse situation, nothing new in many minority groups. That's why successful multiculturism still has a long way to go.
And these type of businesses hinder such progress, mainly for profits and a few other motives. Been going on for centuries here in Canada. "Mistake", my arse.
"...key U.S. Democrats oppose the Nexen takeover by CNOOC, something that may affect Harper's decision."
Harper pay attention to Democrats? When pigs fly.
Once asked what Canadian news Harper watches, he stated that he only watched American news. He's only given two interviews to US media, both to Fox news (Romney, Republican headquarters, as John Stuart once put it).
Listen to Democrats, key or not, that's a good one. Likely to do the opposite of what they recommend, maybe spite for Obama's Keystone XL delay.
This report is accurate about the Canada-China deal, get past the legaleze and read it. Rather than simple trade, it's much more about secretive control over a huge variety of Canadian activities.
Harper has surely boxed us into this manipulative deal. I can't believe that he thinks the Chinese will reciprocate if one of their state owned companies are found at fault. And of course, we Canadians would never find out about it. Must be secretive so that neither government would lose face.
Then again, that's how Harper and his cronies like to operate. Secretly, in the middle of the night. Government transparency and consulting with other groups beyond their own, ha ha.
Trouble is that we're the ones who get hooped.
Okanagan Orchardist
29 weeks ago
Just a question on the length of the agreement
Harten says 15 years; the Globe and Mail says 15 years, but a number of posters have said 31 years. I wrote a letter to the editor using 15 years. Who's right?
LJones
29 weeks ago
Napoleon Dynamite
China is challenging Canada's sovereignty, according to Bill Tielman. To build a persuasive case, he might move on to the stage in an argument where you provide the evidence, but not here. In fact, nowhere in the article does he come back to it unless you count a few more alarmist phrases sprinkled about. We already know some Chinese miners are involved in a Chinese-backed min in this country - but that's hardly an invasion.
So what's really going on?
What you're seeing unfold in real time is the politicization of a labour issue. Poli-sci classes should be studying this. Tielman's targets are governments in Victoria and Ottawa. Not too surprising since Tielman is the NDP's house commentator and is just doing his job.
This is the pointy end of a classic NDP problem - how do you keep labour and greens happy under the big left tent, just as the Liberals struggle with the centre and right under their big tent. The answer is that labour loyalty means jobs; and green loyalty - as measured by the rising and falling fortunes of the Green Party - means leaving the trees alone and not putting in pipelines. The conundrum being: how do you create union jobs if you can't build anything?
Skywalker
29 weeks ago
LJones, you are just union bashing.
The issue here is raw resources being exported to a country that is a dictatorship under any definition. We are not dealing with a privately owned Chinese corporation but a state owned one. That gives them an advantage not extended to Canadian corporations - not that China has any raw resources to export except labour, which we incidentally don't need.
You don't seem to mind that we are selling off whatever we may need for the future and you don't seem to mind that we use foreign labour to do it faster. You don't seem to mind that we are selling off the birthright of our children and grand children for the illusion of an "strong" economy. It is an illusion that only works if you are a Harperite conservative. That may all be fine with you, but don't engage in a personal attack on Bill just because you can't defend your short-sighted position here.
LJones
29 weeks ago
Napoleon Dynamite 2
The rest of my deconstruction of Tielman's artful work of spin ...
You can see in this piece that Tielman has seized onto the Chinese miner situation as a sweet opportunity to paper over the green-labour chasm that the NDP must stop from growing if it has any hope of winning the May election. And how would he do that? By creating a straw man for everybody to hate - the Chinese government.
Labour hates 'em because those low-paid Chinese miners are taking our Canadian jobs away. (Scandalous how they would undercut we wage princes by working for a measly 34 bucks an hour - how dare they!)
And, beautifully, if the Chinese miners can be kept out of the country then natural resources will be left in the ground and the greens won't even think about moving their vote to the Green Party, which has just frightened the bejeezus out of Adrian Dix by recruiting a Nobel Prize winner to run for it in Victoria.
While accomplishing these tactical aims toward the unite-the-left strategy, Tielman also gets to take some pokes at Stephen Harper to please the federal NDP and at the provincial Liberals as well.
Now Tielman is no dummy - he knows that history is a potent force. Hence the Napoleon reference fore and aft. By citing this bit of tosh from Napoleon he wants to show us he understands history too, yet what he is really trying to do is sidestep the more obvious, and more relevant, historical reference that a less devious analyst would cite - that is to say, the labour-driven racism that marred British Columbia's civic life in the early 20th century.
Don't believe it? A 1907 riot in Vancouver was sparked by fears of "a deep strategic movement" authored by the Japanese government "to get a foothold in British Columbia." This is exactly what Tielman claims China is doing. Only he hasn't got a shred of evidence that the Nexen bid has got anything to do with a world hegemony plan.
Just as Tielman doesn't even attempt to show this intent on China's part today, the labour activists of yesterday couldn't mount much of a case either.
The sad fact is that Bill Tielman knows his history and his well aware of the rhetoric he invokes. He has yet to write a single article that is not a tactical manifestation of a strategic mission to mislead and misinform. That's who he is and what he does and while I sort of half-admire his consistency, if you love this country you must read his prose with care and every time you will see what I mean.
gsarahs
29 weeks ago
It looks as if all we can do is watch this debacle happen!
You would think that the right-winger Chairman Harper would want to treat those horrible communist Chinese with contempt. But I guess he admires their government and wants Canada to emulate them. Maybe Harper is just a closet communist! He sure likes to operate in a similar manner to their leadership, with all of the secrecy and strongarming! Interesting thought. LOL
Frank
29 weeks ago
LJones
I read your piece and at the end I failed to see your point. Except to bash Bill Tieleman.
I would have thought that you'd at least attempt to mount a defence of Chinese companies using Chinese workers to extract Cdn resources, I wasn't expecting a credible one given the subject, but at least show up.
Instead we find out only that you're a Tieleman hater. Fine, thanks.
Skywalker
29 weeks ago
But who are you LJones to say,...
"He has yet to write a single article that is not a tactical manifestation of a strategic mission to mislead and misinform"
What are your credentials? How do WE know that you aren't trying to "mislead and misinform"? Perhaps you are a Nexen's version of Kathryn Marshall? Perhaps you are a Green Party hack? Why should we believe you? You can't even say if you are in favour of the Northern Gateway Pipeline or the Nexen deal?
LJones
29 weeks ago
The political context
Skywalker and Frank have a role to play in trying to keep this sorry narrative on track. The outrage! The infamy! It's apparently their job to insist that political actions by the NDP's #1 political strategist have nothing to do with politics. Reasonable people know otherwise. It's very clear what Tielman is up to - though of course anyone who dares to point it out is "a Tielman hater".
Cool Hand
29 weeks ago
Federal NDP Should Support Nexen Deal
Based upon federal NDP leader Mulcair's positions, Nexen's Canadian assets are not "key natural resources". Rather they are "undevelopable junk".
I again reiterate that Nexen's only Canadian assets are:
1. The Long Lake oil sands project, which has been technically troubled from day one. Major capital cost over-runs and doubtful that it will ever break-even. Nexen's original 35% partner in that project, Opti Canada, went bankrupt as a result.
Federal NDP leader Mulcair federal wants the oil sands curtailed and/or stopped altogether due to environment concerns and "Dutch Disease".
Based upon the federal NDP's position, Nexen's oils sands assets are essentially worthless.
2. Shale natural gas lands in BC, which require continued fraccing in order for production to commence and continue.
Federal NDP leader Muclair has called natural gas fraccing "a con job" using "dangerous substances" and should be stopped altogether.
Again, based upon the federal NDP's position, Nexen's shale natural gas assets are essentially worthless.
Again, the federal NDP's position is no more fracking for natural gas and no more oil sands development.
Ergo, Nexen does not own any "key natural resources". So why does Tieleman, a supporter of federal NDP leader Muclair, even care about the CNOOC takeover of Nexen?
Based upon the federal NDP's position, it's a akin to the Chinese giving a $15 billion cheque to Canadian shareholders inclusive of the Canada Pension Plan in exchange for junk. What's not to like?!
frank2
29 weeks ago
A modest proposal. Let
A modest proposal.
Let Canada ban all foreign takeovers (and majority ownership) of resource industries. Canadians know these industries better than most , and are quite capable of running them. Instead, encourage foreign investment in services and manufacturing (not takeovers), as the foreigners might bring some value-added to the table. As for those who suggest that this might mean slower investment and growth in resource extraction, this would be desirable for environmental as well as economic reasons (less Dutch disease)
Frank
29 weeks ago
LJones
Its kinda obvious you have nothing going on except a hate-on for Tieleman is it not?
RickW
29 weeks ago
Tielman asks:
"How will Canada deal with the China challenge to our national sovereignty?"
Simple - Harper will hold China's coat....
RickW
29 weeks ago
It is Apparent that LJones Believes in Results-Based Activism
A few miners does not an invasion make. We have to wait until an actual invasion takes place before we acknowledge that there is indeed one. By then, it is either too late - or it will be very messy cleanup.
grapes
29 weeks ago
So Harper pisses off the
So Harper pisses off the Americans, our largest trading partner, we may even have a surplus in trading with them. On the other hand we have deficit trade with the Chinese. What if Russia pushes hard into our Arctic sovereignty, who do we ask for help from...the Chinese. I could guess how that will turn out, we may have to learn Mandarin.
lynn
29 weeks ago
I agree with sunshine coast
I agree with sunshine coast girl - all discussion and protest will soon be moot.
Slumber on and come November it will pretty well be over for the Canada we once knew and loved....
Our limping national public broadcaster seemingly quite happy to be duct-taped when it comes to even the mention of FIPA.
Complete lack of political leadership in opposing this. No imagination and no courage in bringing this front and center. Very busy fund- raising. For what ? I wonder. For what kind of Canada? (Ms. May gets a reprieve because she spoke up first and she continues to be vocal...she actually says FIPA out loud so people can actually hear it. How novel.) But in general what a bunch of silent panty-waists as the country they swore an oath to slumps to the floor, trippingly tricked by a punch-drunk-on-power two-bit twit.
I've written a mountain of letters to those I thought would care - no response or the standard form letter: " This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter...."
All too busy with more 'pressing' things. But I bet they'll all be there on November 11, their pretend photo-op poppy hearts beating in memorium for those, lest we forget, who courageously gave their lives for this country and the freedoms we are about to lose,
The clock ticks on.....
Since it's obvious those that supposedly represent us don't give a damn.
What do we do next?
Gus Van Harten and The Tyee - Thank you for your courage and conviction.
Skywalker
29 weeks ago
@ LJones
It is more than a little hypocritical for any poster to write such drivel on Bill just because Bill is known and writes under his real name. You write under a fictitious name and are thereby insulated from an attack of that type. The same thing happens to Rafe Maier. Rather than focus on the substance you will go after the person.
Well I believe that you should be prepared to play on a level playing field so we can first check your qualifications or biases and then form an opinion as you have done or reject your views.
I don't comment on the person contributing a column on the Tyee. I might comment on the substance but any anonymous poster is fair game as I expect I am. I am not an NDPer and I try to comment from a Nationalist/Socialist perspective.
Now what in blazes is Cool Hand rambling on about again? Do I even want to know?
LJones
29 weeks ago
Political context
The appeal of this issue for the NDP seems to be that it might bind together the labour and green factions once Dix starts feeling pressure from his newest star candidate, the labour heavyweight George Heyman. The other benefit of a major distraction of this type is it distracts from Adrian Dix association with Raj Hundal - that other NDP star candidate, the one from Surrey Tynehead who quit abruptly last week while Dix - who had been extensively photographed with Hundal - was conveniently out of town. It's a classic political move to put as much distance as possible between leader and walking question mark. Did you notice that the NDP's team of commentators barely mentioned Hundal's surprise departure? Funny that, but they do have their orders. In the world of Bill Tielman, going Bay-of-Pigs is a rational response for a Tuesday - and why not a Wednesday too. Very cynical and I'm sorry to be the one who has to break that to those of you who refuse to acknowledge that there is a political context to everything you read in the press (that's what my left wing professors used to claim, at least, and I've found them to be uncannily accurate). I would have to rate the party unity objective above the protect-the-leader thing, but there is a dynamic here. What tests my faith in human nature is that there are people who for such paltry objectives are willing to stir up intolerance against other nations - just look at the "messy cleanup" forecast by RickW, above. Bill, I hope you are proud to be feeding this. It's almost enough to make me forget about Raj Hundal.
x4estworker
29 weeks ago
Tread Very Softly and Carry a Huge Stick
Bill Tieleman is right. The Chinese government has been caught with its fingers in the pie too many times. Just tonight on the news there was a story about Chinese hackers - read Chinese government hackers - accessing a computer in a sensitive federal department in Ottawa. There are any number of documented attempts of this occurring in any number of democratic countries.
Say what you like about Chinese companies like Huewei, the relationship between these companies and the Chinese government is extremely close; The head of Huewei is a former high-ranking officer in the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army. The Chinese Communist Party keeps an office in Huewei headquarters, according to a recent story on 60 Minutes. Huewei manufactures very sophisticated computer network technology that could easily be built to capture particular kinds of data and transmit it overseas.
As for the proposed Canada China trade deal, how would such a deal be in our interests? It would just provide the Chinese Government with another gate to access Canada's strategic resources and information. The bottom line is, the Chinese government simply cannot be trusted and the Government of Canada needs to constantly watch our collective backs when dealing with them.
nepacific
29 weeks ago
anti-Chinese hysteria
The degree of anti-Chinese hysteria in our media scares me. Why do we think of China as an enemy, rather than as a friend? Why is the overwhelming amount of US control of Canadian industry less of a problem than a minimal amount of Chinese ownership? Are we simply in lock-step with the US military-industrial complex, which appears to have decided it needs a new enemy to arm against?
Now, that does not mean I agree with everything every Chinese company proposes. I think we can find miners in Canada, and pay them Canadian wages. I think we can enforce our own environmental standards on Chinese, as well as on Canadian and US companies. I think we should be leery of any computer system, wherever it is from, knowing that there are FBI back-doors in systems from Microsoft, Apple, and so on.
To be frank, as bad as some aspects of Chinese governance are, I am at least as leery of the US as I am of China. Which country has troops stationed all around the world to enforce its will? Which is arming to defend itself against US, Japanese, and Russian encirclement?
Frank
29 weeks ago
Skywalker
"Now what in blazes is Cool Hand rambling on about again"
Exactly. Just his standard boiler plate. I think he's posted the same sentences about a hundred times. Just has a file of this stuff all ready to go. Cut and paste. So why bother reading it again and again?
Frank
29 weeks ago
nepacific
The Left has been against the US domination of Canada's busienss sector for generations. So its a little late to accuse us of turning a blind eye to it.
Cool Hand
29 weeks ago
Van Isle
Ya might wanna actually go to NDP national HQ and protest with the masses against the NDP.
Why?
The federal NDP wants to get into free trade talks with other nations giving away Canada's sovereignty.
The federal NDP wants to:
1. Re-invigorate World Trade Organization global trade talks; (but what about all the NDP'ers attending the anti-globalization protests at the WTO talks in Seattle?)
2. Accelerate free trade talks with Japan;
3. Prioritize free trade deals with India, Brazil, and South Africa;
http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ndp-working-toward-balance-as-it-crafts-new-foreign-policy/article4555764/?service=mobile
What gives? BTW, when the NDP hordes jump the gates at federal NDP HQ, I will join on in and bring the popcorn. That's what healthy democracy looks like.
x4estworker
29 weeks ago
nepacific
Anti-Chinese hysteria? The facts say otherwise.
We are dealing with a country that is a very rigid totalitarian regime with absolutely no respect for human rights and that oppresses its people at every turn. Communist Party officials at the local, regional and national levels are notoriously corrupt. I'd hate to think of how much real estate is owned in the greater Vancouver area by former Chinese communist officials who ripped off the big payday and fled the country for here.
There was the brutal repression at Tiananmen Square that crushed the democracy movement. And then there is that little question of Tibet, and decades of its citizens forced to endure brutal treatment. And then there's the Chinese answer to most serious crime, which is a bullet in the back of the head.
Any flaws in our neighbor to the south are mild in comparison.
Rolly-polly
29 weeks ago
This is not a joke. We
This is not a joke. We seriously have to send a message to Harper our nation is not for pillaging.
lynn
29 weeks ago
Dear Okanagan Orchardist,
You asked about the length of the deal:
The agreement will remain in place for at least 15 years, and even if a future government wishes to cancel the deal, the provisions would remain for 15 years after cancellation.
So the length of the deal is at least 30 years.
How's that for crazy?!
Lynn
crh
29 weeks ago
The only party that supports
The only party that supports workers and citizen rights is the NDP. Everyone loves to hate unions until something like this comes along and then they start to ask the unions to 'do something or organize'. Well the lack of public support has eroded the power of the working stiff over the last 20 years. Sorry to say, but it may be to late for unions to fix this assault on our sovereignty. This is just the next step to kill Canada for profit. The Cons, Libs and Greens could care less about unions and what they stand for.
gadrogeek
29 weeks ago
Welcome to Chinada!
As we stood on the steps of the Legislature in Victoria yesterday, we observed the mass of concerned people. Safe to say the majority were not First Nations, which some media outlets put at the forefront. This is clearly an issue for ALL people in Canada!
A lady standing next to me noted the same thing, and then added: "Where are the Chinese?"
Searching produced a "few" Oriental faces in a sea of "whiteness". Many thanks to them!
Maybe it's a cultural thing - not to protest.
If you think FIPPA is bad, wait till the TPP is signed. This agreement, often called "NAFTA on steroids", will allow many countries to dictate to Canada what to do with our resources, how and by whom.
It is very sad that our education system, for decades, has not put the training in place for our youth to have the skills needed for the jobs now showing up. Way too many kids forced to take the "academic" stream.
Where were you, Ms. Clark, Ms. Bond and Mr. Bell, when you had the chance to do something?
Maybe the "training wage" would be a good way to show our appreciation to the foreign workers.
My guess is that the Nexen deal will be approved because, hey, Harper at least denied the Malaysians a take-over bid - a very shrewd political maneuver! "See, we're not all bad." Egad, are we ever being sold out!
Greg Shea (Lake Cowichan)
Atma Iama
29 weeks ago
Agree with "anti-hysteria" post
Looks like this is the "neo-Chinese head tax" discrimination & fear-mongering the Chinese have had to endure for centuries. This time the English-speaking world can't claim it's ungodly heathen who worship idols, kill cats & have no language skills.
Pretty funny to think of this reverse discrimination for a change - "No Mandarin, NO JOBS!" How often are highly qualified non-English speakers told, "No English, no Entry, no jobs, NO THANK YOU!?.." And Canadians aren't even polite about their pervasive, systemic discrimation against those without "Canadian experience"?
Stop the anti-Chinese hysteria, Canada! ENOUGH ALREADY, EH!!!
Frank
29 weeks ago
Atma Iama
First post ever?
If it makes you feel better, delete the word "Chinese" and insert the phrase "citizen of a FOREIGN country" instead.
That should help you understand what is at issue here and why only those who support foreign nationals taking Cdn jobs think its a racial issue.
Frank
29 weeks ago
Atma Iama again
By the way, the "head tax" on Chinese workers is being charged by Chinese.
So which side is racist there? The Chinese worker side or the Chinese recuiter side?
Tieleman
29 weeks ago
Bill Tieleman responds to LJones, Cool Hand
First, LJones - if you wish to criticize my writing, feel free but at least spell my last name correctly. It's in the byline & easy to see. Mis-spelling it every time indicates sloppy work.
Which brings me to the rest of what you post. I can guarantee you I never once considered the Green Party in writing this or my previous column on the racist exploitation of Chinese coal miners being brought to BC. Elizabeth May does deserve credit for ringing an alarm on the Canada-China FIPA, however.
As for LJones' "chasm" between labour & greens the NDP must bridge "to have any chance" of winning in May, dude - do you read the polls? Even occasionally glance at the BC news? The NDP is at 49%, the BC Liberals at 26 %. Adrian Dix & the NDP lead in every region, on every issue and every demographic save one - income earner over $100,000 - and on that they are close!
You and Atma Iama conveniently ignore the thesis of my last column - that bringing Chinese coal miners is a throwback to BC's racist history towards Chinese workers.
Cool Hand - explain why CNOOC is paying a 61% premium to buy up Nexen shares if its $15 billion worth of "junk"?
But I will say the NDP needs to explain its trade strategy to members & the public. If it promotes fair trade with mutual benefits between democratic nations, I'm all for it.
But Harper's China FIPA with a totalitarian state is far from that.
Lastly, if LJones theories on me are actually correct, however, it's a hell of a strong pitch to attend my Tyee Master Class on campaigning!
Details at: http://thetyee.ca/About/Fall-2012-MasterClass-BillTieleman/
Feverish
29 weeks ago
Orchestration
Steeve the Peeve's task masters are very shrewd. All this is going on as the US is doing their interpretive election dance and with legislatures in BC & ONT vacant. There is no hockey going on but there is a riveting labour dispute to capture our attention.
OwlRoll said "Harper pay attention to Democrats? When pigs fly" Well I don't believe there is really much difference between the 2 parties. It's the same hurtling missile, just a different cowboy astraddle. You can start too see how conditions come into existence for any region to welcome US Forces as the homeland government sells out their citizens.... lesser of 2 evils, in theory.
Greg Shea says "Maybe it's a cultural thing - not to protest" Yes - for Canadians, excluding Quebecers. Imagine the courage it takes in the rest of the world when death is often the result. We are wrapped in the cultural cobwebs of complacency and the CONS know we are ripe for the picking (and pressing!)
As Frank says this is about a bad deal with a foreign country. This round it is China, but OUR government is the enemy of it's own people too.
We citizens need some effective orchestration to stop this bull$h!t. Is anybody aware of any demonstration being planned in the large/ capital cities in this country to address the Canada- China trade deal?
David
Victoria VI
Fiat lux
29 weeks ago
The biggest problem are our
The biggest problem are our universities, where, first of all, students are brainwashed with the neoclassical monetary economic theory and no professors and departments dare to say a single word against that fraud enslaving and destroying humanity and the Earth.
Could be that our universities are now so deeply infiltrated and held captive by the international corporate mafia that they have sunk to the intellectual rot and pit of universities controlled by religions, nazis and communists ?
What can the unwashed public do in protest when our professors, who could knock over this ongoing crime and fraud in a few days, are just sitting on their arses, fearing for their jobs ?
I'm working on this with the PhD class of a professor friend in the science of sustainable development, but where are the rest ?
Ed Deak.
Rolly-polly
29 weeks ago
nepacific
You should see the anti-foreigner hysteria in Chinese media. You should also review China's record. They are no one's friend. They are a maffia state out to exploit whoever and whatever they can. Look into it.
fleming65
29 weeks ago
Treason
When I watch the November 11 ceremonies at the National Cenotaph this year I will only think of the hypocrisy of Harper standing there. How can anyone stand near a man who just committed treason. What would be really cool is if some of the veterans openly challenged Harper, surround him, and admonish him publicly for crimes against Canada. Shame him for his distaste for democracy, just what these veterans fought and died for.
nepacific
29 weeks ago
posts by x4estworker and Rolly-polly
@Rolly-polly -- I do read Chinese and am painfully aware of what goes on there. It is hardly a paradise, but nor are we. Of course Chinese people are looking out for their own interests. So are we. "Mafia state" is a propaganda slogan, not an analysis. Life in China is far freer and more comfortable than it was twenty years ago. Better encourage progress than retard it, in my opinion.
@x4estworker -- I apologize for saying that I think you are the victim of the vast anti-China propaganda campaign that is currently filling our media. Bad things have happened there, certainly, which are usually exaggerated in our press. But there is a lot more to China than those. I know for a fact that people in the cities there are living normal, prosperous, hard-working lives, with a reasonable amount of freedom to discuss government policy. The so-called Great Firewall of China lets through most foreign newspapers, but not blog sites. The idea of China as some kind of communist gulag is a hangover from the anti-communist propaganda of the 1950s. In fact, it's fairly difficult to see anything but capitalism when you are there.
And the story of Tibet is far more nuanced than activists here would have you believe. People all over China practice their religion openly, including in Tibet. The groups that are the object of government action are those that seem to them to have political as well as religious aims. The government may be unfair to the Dalai Lama, but he has admitted to receiving past support from the CIA, so they have some grounds to mistrust him, no matter how reasonable his words may be. Banning people from posting his picture is not as vicious and stupid as it seems, since he is as much a political leader as a religious one. Do we favour theocracy anywhere else?
Skywalker
29 weeks ago
Hold on!
There is no state owned Canadian corporation which operates in China. Yet we allow a state-owned Chinese company access to our resources and entrenches their right in a treaty and deny Canadians the right to either scrutinize the deal or make the decision whether it is in our best interests. It is negotiated in secret (unlike FTA) and commits us to the next 30 years. Dispute resolution is outside Canadian courts and by a three member panel and decisions are based on corporate interests not the interests of Canadians.
This deal happens to be with China. It is a horrendously bad deal for us no matter how you paint it. It is a deal with a state owned company of a country that consistently takes positions opposite to that of the free world. Just because things are better there now than they were under Mao does not mean that we should sacrifice our security( resources) The value of their currency is not set by the markets. How in heavens' name is it a level playing field.
This is a sell out by the traitor Harper and his goons. This is not what people want him to do and he knows it. He knows it will set him up for life in a corporate world and that is all he cares about.
Oh, and as for Tibet....it is an occupied country and should be given complete independence just as the countries in the USSR were.
Nothing in this agreement will advance democracy in China one iota. It will however compromise Canadian sovereignty more than FTA and NAFTA.
Fiat lux
29 weeks ago
The issue is not whether the
The issue is not whether the people of China should achieve, or may already have better living standards. We all have good Chinese friends and this has nothing to do with discrimination. The best of luck to them.
But I don't know of any country, or society in history that has achieved higher standards of living in a shorter period of time than Germany in the first 6 years under Hitler. But what has it ultimately achieved ? As we can expect from any totalitarian dictatorship.
The point is that we should give all the help to anybody, but at the cost of them controlling us or any other economy.
The same goes for the USA and Germany and France and the Republic of Congo, etc.
The issue is democracy and control of our own economies, without interfering with others'
Now try to explain this to "conservatives" who wave the flag, while selling off the country.
Ed Deak.
Fiat lux
29 weeks ago
The issue is not whether the
The issue is not whether the people of China should achieve, or may already have better living standards. We all have good Chinese friends and this has nothing to do with discrimination. The best of luck to them.
But I don't know of any country, or society in history that has achieved higher standards of living in a shorter period of time than Germany in the first 6 years under Hitler. But what has it ultimately achieved ? As we can expect from any totalitarian dictatorship.
The point is that we should give all the help to anybody, but at the cost of them controlling us or any other economy.
The same goes for the USA and Germany and France and the Republic of Congo, etc.
The issue is democracy and control of our own economies, without interfering with others'
Now try to explain this to "conservatives" who wave the flag, while selling off the country.
Ed Deak.
LJones
29 weeks ago
Reality
The reality is most of the people on this thread are reading the lines handed to them by political manipulators right here in Canada. You are being whipped up into hysteria because a couple of hundred miners with specialized skills are coming to explore the potential of a resource asset. Period. Just like in 1907 when the union movement fomented riots against Asians who it was alleged were here to "steal our jobs" on the path to taking over Canada, EXACTLY the same rhetoric is being used by leftist propagandists like Bill Tielman today. The audacity is breathtaking. But what really amazes me is there are still people who eat it up just like in 1907. It shows the desperation of the NDP as the milquetoast leadership of Adrian Dix starts to show cracks and the infighting begins.
Frank
29 weeks ago
LJones
Are you even able to see planet Earth from wherever it is you are?
Fiat lux
29 weeks ago
By the way Lj what are the
By the way Lj what are the Chinese commies, lefties or righties ".
Of course, the word "communist" once used to smear people is no longer fashionable, now that they've become "wealth creating brothers"
The dirty word now is "lefties" and "socialists". Right ? One must be politically correct with using the right words.
Our "conservatives" must really be getting the wind up to come up with this kind of dead end propaganda nonsense, when the whole country, or indeed the world, is beginning to wake up to the fraud enslaving them.
Reminds me of the nazi propaganda machine that was still winning WW2 on May 4, 1945.
You see friend, some of us have heard all this from all sides long before. I was sentenced to death by the nazis at 18, on about May 3, '45, for "treason" and to 10 years in the gulags by the communists, as an "enemy of the people" a year later. But they didn't catch me and that gave me all these years to fight crooks and dictators using weapons and BS to rule, regardless of the coat they're wearing.
Ed Deak.
freewilly
29 weeks ago
Chinese mining our Province
Apart from the training to work underground, more importantly one has to have a certain amount of nerve and character to do this sort of work.
I can't buy the aurgument that there are 0 people for this type of work,( i heard some expert twit on cbc radio say this) we have underground mines around our area. Some are operating. Of course its not coal but valuable minerals zinc, gold, copper, silver and others.
Maybe westmin could also be a training center? Campbell River has a populace of under employed people who would gladly take on a challenge.
If our government(s) had the balls they would make sure Canadians, regardless of their ethnicity, are prepared for these mining jobs.
Whats wrong with doing business the old fashioned way? We (Canadians) dig up the dirt and sell the product to China or whoever.
The working person (union or not) should be incensed I certainly am. British Columbians are well equipped to take on any challenge, weve built world class bridges, built roads, dams, levelled mountains and created the best industrial equipment to get the job done in the most hostile conditions.
There is a nasty attitude held by creeps on both sides of the political spectrum, that their neighbours and friends have no worth. They wont tell it to their faces. In fact they are just projecting their own self worth and abilities. Its those creepy people who are a threat to our sovereinty. They live next door they use our public services and have no respect or love for anything. Ne're do wells.
freewilly
29 weeks ago
Ed has had remarkable life
Ed has had remarkable life. It reminds me of a movie where this german kid was trying to be all things to escape one despotic gov for another. Europa Europa?
I have had no such experience and never lived under such insane regimes, however my father was in the 2nd world war and went through all sorts of mayhem to get to this wonderful country.
I know who the enemy is. Even Bill Tielmen has been open about his divergent views and what might be deemed hypocritical, but I think hes honest. My conservative friends dream of living in a society that is really a socialist utopia. Sointula go figure....
My father always told me that the working man is his own worst enemy.
In our genes we are still like the insects, bees or ants there is a heirarchy of intelligence the proletariant are just plain stupid and fodder for exploitation. Given the right diet of food and an education any person can be a god and attain anything. I beleive this.
Ive known intelligent people that gave up on their neighbours and spawn long ago. Its easier being a cynic and beleiving the working person is as dumb as a stump.
Unions by their nature have accomplised much but they also perpetuate a class system that will always struggle. We know that a society divided by class is really a hardwired illusion, mankind never needed this screwy system or go down this path
Even Obama refers to sympathetic voters by 'middle class'. He sees his supporters relegated to classes of people. A child doesnt view the world this way, nor does a wise person.
In my perfect world a ditch digger can be a psychiatrist. A musician can be a plumper or psychiatrist, a welfare recipient can be and an atherist and the prime minister and so forth. Money has nothing to do with what you are or aspire to.
So what the @#$% does this have to do with China and Canadian sovereinty? It could be about giving up, selling out, apathy or being self-centered creeps.
Tieleman
29 weeks ago
Tieleman takes on LJones again
LJones claims above that: "Just like in 1907 when the union movement fomented riots against Asians who it was alleged were here to "steal our jobs" on the path to taking over Canada, EXACTLY the same rhetoric is being used by leftist propagandists like Bill Tielman today."
Mis-spelling my name still probably means he didn't read my earlier post here or the previous column I referred him regarding racism To be precise, I wrote:
"And it feels like yet another outbreak of racism against Chinese workers that has plagued British Columbia since the gold rush in the 1860s brought the first wave of labourers from China."
And I also said: "Then there's the sad likelihood of a racially-motivated backlash against these Chinese workers for taking away jobs from Canadians, as the use of other temporary foreign workers as cheap labour has already done."
But make no mistake - employers are willing to risk a racist backlash because they find cheaper, more pliable labour worth it.
These jobs indeed should be filled by Canadians, who should have been recruited and trained years ago when the BC government started this coal mining plan. Now we are left with the consequences.
My first column on this on The Tyee is at: http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2012/10/16/Chinese-Temp-Miners/