Via Rail CEO calls for right of way over freight trains, passenger bill of rights

The Canadian Press
Mon, October 23, 2023 



MONTREAL — The federal government should move toward giving Via Rail trains formal right of way on the tracks over freight trains, says Via Rail chief executive Mario Péloquin.

In an interview, the Crown corporation CEO said the measure would reduce trip disruptions prompted by Canada's two main freight railways — whose tracks Via runs on — and vastly improve performance on periodically tardy passenger trains.

It would also align Canada with regulations in the United States, where Amtrak passenger cars enjoy priority.

Ideally, the measure would go hand-in-hand with a passenger bill of rights comparable to the one now in place for air travellers to ensure customers receive compensation for long delays, Péloquin said.

"Now, we have no class, no prioritization. There was talk about putting rules in place prioritizing passenger rail trains. I would love that, together with a bill of rights for passengers similar to what we see in the airline industry, as imperfect maybe as it is," said Péloquin, who stepped into the top job at Via in June.

"All we can commit right now without those rules is that we'll get people where they want to go — eventually."

The air passenger rights charter, rolled out in 2019, spells out penalties for airlines that breach the rules and mandates passenger compensation for problems such as lost luggage and trip delays or cancellations — up to $2,300 and $1,000, respectively.

The regulations are currently undergoing an overhaul following criticism they contain loopholes for airlines to avoid compensation, and after thousands of customer complaints to the regulator.

In the quarter ended June 30, Via saw just 62 per cent of its trains arrive on time, which nonetheless marked an improvement from 53 per cent a year earlier.

Former transport minister Omar Alghabra told media over the summer he was looking into measures to improve travellers' experience amid Via's shaky performance, including through a bill of rights.

Not all rail industry players are on board.

John Corey, president of the Freight Management Association of Canada (FMA), said giving Via right of way over the country's two Class 1 rail operators — Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. — would further pressure an already strained supply chain, as would a rights charter.

"Prioritizing passenger rail service over freight rail service would be the tail wagging the dog. Freight railways, their customers and Canadians in general would be subsidizing the few people using the passenger rail system," Corey said.

"Currently, freight rail service in Canada is not optimal from a shipper’s point of view ... Any initiative that would make freight rail service less efficient would not be supported by the FMA."

Corey added that he can sympathize with travellers — "I have taken Via and sat on a siding waiting for the freight train to pass."

Under a bill of rights for riders, Péloquin said, CN or CP could well be the ones to pay up in the event of a Via trip disruption — if it stems from their actions — further incentivizing smooth operations along the line.

But it could also cost Via, which already contends with cash problems. In its second quarter, operating losses before government funding hit $120 million. The organization has not reached a full-year profit since 2017.

Péloquin pointed out that's the case for passenger rail companies globally, many of which are government-owned, publicly subsidized or part of a diversified business. He framed Via as a public utility serving far-flung populations: "It is an essential need in a lot of locations."

Despite that need, trip times have lengthened.

Two decades ago, riders could board an express train in Montreal's downtown Central Station and arrive at Toronto's Union Station about four hours after departure, said Greg Gormick, who heads On Track Consulting.

Now, the trip typically takes about five hours — assuming no delays hamper the journey — despite roughly $300 million in federal investments along the Montreal-Toronto corridor since 2009.

The slowdown owes partly to the ramp-up in traffic and upgrades along Metrolinx commuter rail lines in the Greater Toronto Area as well as CN lines, on which Via largely runs. (Only three per cent of the track Via uses is owned by the Crown corporation, Péloquin said.)

To ensure timely train access and trip frequency, Via must negotiate scheduling deals with track owners such as CN.

"We have to go to Metrolinx and then we have to go to CN Rail and say, 'Can we please have a time slot to run an additional passenger train on your corridor, on your right of way?' And then they may say yes or no," Péloquin said.

Marc Brazeau, CEO of the Railway Association of Canada, which represents CN and CP, said any legislation that alters right of way on the rails would need to be balanced against the importance of efficient freight operations.

"While millions of Canadians rely on passenger rail to connect communities and to get them work, school, or family visits on time (or even to doctors' appointments and to deliver their groceries in remote communities), any passenger service proposal must demonstrate that freight capacity to handle current and future anticipated volumes can be preserved, which is essential to support Canada's economy," Brazeau said in an emailed statement.

Laura Scaffidi, a spokeswoman for Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez, said Canadians already expect on-time service and high standards.

She highlighted the federal project for a new, faster passenger railway set to stretch from Toronto to Quebec City — a high-frequency rail line currently slated to launch in the mid-2030s.

The minister’s office did not directly answer questions on whether it continues to mull passenger train priority or a bill of rights for riders.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2023.

Companies in this story: (TSX:CNR, TSX:CP)

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press

Protesters in downtown Saskatoon rally against Parents' Bill of Rights, anti-SOGI group


CBC
Sat, October 21, 2023



Protesters opposed to the recently-passed Bill 137 and the 1 Million March 4 Children (1MM4C) group rallied in downtown Saskatoon on Saturday.

The 1MM4C group, which held rallies across Canada on Saturday, is "advocating for the elimination of the sexual orientation and gender identity curriculum, pronouns, gender ideology and mixed bathrooms in schools," its website describes.

Another group, called 1 Million Voices for Inclusion (1MVI) — which says it advocates for the rights and safety of 2SLGBTQIA+ people — organized counter-protests across the country to the 1MM4C rallies.

There wasn't a 1MM4C rally in Saskatoon, although its website says events were scheduled in Estevan and Regina.

The protests come after a new law, Bill 137, passed in Saskatchewan on Friday, requiring students to get parental consent before making gender-related changes to their name or pronouns at school.

About 200 people gathered at the Cameco Meewasin Skating Rink to oppose the new law and 1MM4C.

Blake Tait, one of the organizers of the 1MVI protest in Saskatoon, said he disagrees with 1MM4C's message.

"They're protesting trans and queer people existing in the school system, and [for] making their kids trans, which is not something that's ever going to happen," said Tait.


Blake Tait, one of the organizers for the 1 Million Voices for Inclusion rally on Saturday, said he disagrees with the message of the 1 Million March for Children group. (Matt Howard/CBC)

"Trans kids will be trans, if they're trans."

Tait said he started socially transitioning at 14 years old, and later that school year he went to see a school counsellor who encouraged him to come out to his family.

Tait said he wasn't sure how telling his family would go at first.

"My blood-related family was all fantastic, my sisters are awesome, my parents are both awesome," said Tait.

He said in response to the new legislation, he coined the phrase, "Notwithstanding, we exist."

'My number one job is to help kids learn'

Jocie Barrington, an early childhood educator who works with children ages 4 to 9 and a guest speaker at the 1MVI protest, said she came to show her students she will stand up for them.

Barrington said as a queer child, she didn't grow up in an accepting household, but she found solace in a gay-straight alliance group in her youth.


Jocie Barrington, an early childhood educator and guest speaker at the 1 Million Voices for Inclusion rally, said she feels conflicted about the new law. (Liam O'Connor/CBC)

Now, as an early childhood educator, she said she feels conflicted about the new law.

"My number one job is to help kids learn and protect them and this legislature is going to do the exact opposite," said Barrington.

She said the potential of facing legal action is scary.

"It puts me in the position of either respecting my kids' pronouns, but also keeping them safe, or facing legal action if the news that I'm not outing my kids falls into a close-minded director."

Families of trans kids, activists say they're angered, scared, disgusted by Sask.'s pronoun law


CBC
Sun, October 22, 2023


"Disgusting" and "disappointing" are the words parents of transgender kids, trans youth and community activists used repeatedly to describe the Saskatchewan government's Bill 137, which became law on Friday.

"I moved to Canada in 2007 from the U.K., and this isn't what I thought I was moving to. This is really awful and scary. I thought we were in a progressive, safe community and province," said Roberta Cain, the mother of a 15-year-old trans child.

"The anti-trans movement seems to be kicking off. It's frightening."

On Friday, the Saskatchewan Party government passed its Parents' Bill of Rights, which requires consent from a parent or guardian "when a student requests that their preferred name, gender identity, and/or gender expression be used" at school.

Premier Scott Moe, speaking to reporters Friday afternoon, said the bill was about "providing parents the right — not the opportunity — to support their children in the formative years of their life."

But Cain said the law tramples on trans kids' human rights and would affect students like her son, Silas Cain, who came out as transgender to his teacher.


Roberta Cain, right, says she worries about the future of her 15-year-old trans son, Silas Cain, left, in Saskatchewan. (Pratyush Dayal/CBC)

He says in 2018, when he was in Grade 6, he said he started going by a different name and is thankful to his teacher, who allowed him space to explore his gender identity without outing him to his parents — a safety many kids have now lost, he said.

"There really is so much at stake for the trans community as a whole… being forced to come out can be so traumatizing and life-threatening. Having a safe place to experiment is such an important thing," said Silas.

"I am so hated for just existing and being who I am. So many younger kids who are finding out who they are and want to have a safe space are at such a risk because some people just don't like us."

His path could have looked very different if his teacher hadn't provided that space for him, said Silas.

"This law is absolutely ridiculous and violating. How many more trans kids have to die before they realize that this isn't OK?"

The new legislation "makes me very uncomfortable and concerned for Silas's future here," said Cain.

"It's a disaster that I hope galvanizes people into looking more deeply at what's really going on."

'This is none of the government's business': mother

Jessica Fraser and her son, Wilbur Braidek, 14, who is transgender, were among hundreds of people who rallied in Saskatoon against the province's pronoun policy in August, when it was introduced.

"It's called the Parents' Bill of Rights [but] we don't have rights as parents," said Fraser.

"We have responsibilities to keep our kids safe and to teach them. We don't have any right to control their identity."


Wilbur Braidek, 14, and his mother, Jessica Fraser, were among hundreds of concerned people who rallied in Saskatoon on Aug. 27 against the province's proposed policies on sexual education and pronoun use in schools. (Pratyush Dayal/CBC)

Moe has previously defended the policy by saying it "has the strong support of a majority of Saskatchewan residents, in particular, Saskatchewan parents."

Fraser disagrees, and accuses the Saskatchewan Party government of "pandering" to "right-wing voters."

"This is none of the government's business."

Her longtime friend Meadow McLean, who is also a parent of a transgender teen, also thinks the legislation is a divisive politicization of children's rights.

"Our kids are the ones that are suffering.… They're being drawn into the political arena and feeling like they're not safe," she said.

"Research says discussing these things saves lives and prevents suicide attempts and death by suicide. The fact that we're taking that away is just an atrocity, really… It's nauseating."


Fraser, left, and Meadow McLean, right, both have transgender children. The parents say their kids are worried about their safety and well-being, and that of their peers. (Pratyush Dayal/CBC)

McLean said it was a long road for her 16-year-old son, Kian to identify non-binary and eventually trans.

"He went through a destructive period of severe depression and self harm. It was a really dark period in our lives where I was checking if he was breathing at night."

"Our kids are going to continue to navigate what is a really hard road ahead of them as trans youth and trans adults," she said.

"We will start to get used to living in Saskatchewan, that is going backwards when most of the world's moving forward."

Law 'transphobic at its core': activist

Blake Tait, a trans activist in Saskatoon, said he had a rough time at home coming out as trans, and is thankful for the help he got from teachers before he came out.

"It was not a safe household. I was being degraded to the point of tears. I lost my sense of pride," he said.

The 23-year-old said he knows trans kids who now worry about being kicked out of their homes.

"They don't have the choice anymore to stay safe," Tait said, pointing to statistics that say a large percentage of homeless youth in Saskatchewan identify as LGBTQ.

"I'm angry. I'm embarrassed to be a person from Saskatchewan who is under this government."


Blake Tait, a trans activist and drag artist in Saskatoon, says the new law is transphobic and endangers children. (Submitted by Blake Tait)

Tait said the trans youth he has been checking in with are scared for themselves and their friends. His youngest sibling is trans and attending school.

He's worried about the possibility of seeing more laws, like those recently introduced in several U.S. states that impose restrictions on everything from gender-affirming care for minors to bathroom use, identification, drag performances and education.

The new law in Saskatchewan "is transphobic at its core and endangers children," he said.

"That was proven by the courts and the Moe government still went through with it … using the notwithstanding clause to infringe upon trans rights."

The provincial government invoked the notwithstanding clause to pass the law, after a judge granted an injunction pausing the policy's implementation pending a full hearing.


Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe speaks during a debate in the Saskatchewan legislature in Regina on Oct. 10, 2023. His government used the Charter's notwithstanding clause to pass the legislation, which he said Friday is intended to give parents 'the right — not the opportunity — to support their children in the formative years of their life.' (Heywood Yu/The Canadian Press)

After it was introduced, the policy was challenged in court by the UR Pride Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity.

Court of King's Bench Justice Michael Megaw granted the injunction on Sept. 28, saying the policy could cause "irreparable harm," but Moe announced later that day his government would use the notwithstanding clause — a provision that allows governments to override certain Charter rights for up to five years when passing legislation.

"I don't understand why we even have courts when this government can just override what our courts and our experts are saying," said Fran Forsberg, an activist and parent.

She organized the late August rally in Saskatoon and is shocked by how quickly the policy became a law that she called "very short-sighted."

It's "despicable that the government has been told … over and over again by experts in the field" about the potential harms of the bill, "and they have not taken this into consideration whatsoever," she said.


Fran Forsberg, an activist and parent, helped organize the late August rally in Saskatoon. She says she's shocked by how quickly the policy became the law. (Pratyush Dayal/CBC)

Several years ago, Forsberg — who said she has fostered over 250 kids in 40 years, including trans kids — filed a successful human rights complaint against the Saskatchewan government, arguing for the right to have gender markers removed from identification.

She is now part of another human rights complaint with 22 families against the Saskatchewan government's new law.

She notes a section of the legislation against "any claim for loss or damage resulting from the enactment or implementation" of the parental consent policy.

"The clause in the law that they can't be held responsible if a child is hurt or damaged emotionally or physically by this is just irresponsible," she said.

"I can't even fathom what the government is thinking by doing this. It's so ludicrous."

Protesters take to streets of Quebec cities to stand up for midwives

CBC
Sun, October 22, 2023 


Myriam Bertrand was conceived with the help of a midwife, and years later, when it was time to give birth to her daughter, Bertrand said she knew she wanted a midwife by her side.

Thanks to the midwife, Bertrand was able to give birth in her own home, an experience she called "special."

"I knew that the midwife was going to take the time to really understand my needs, understand what I wanted to do and really just to feel empowered throughout the whole [period of] care," said Bertrand.

Now she fears the provincial government will be taking the power away from midwives to give the close level of care they currently provide, said Bertrand, who is the general coordinator of the Regroupement les sages-femmes du Québec (RSFQ), a collective representing midwife groups.

Bertrand and her daughter was one of the families braving the rain in downtown Montreal on Sunday, waving signs and raising their voices to protest a Quebec government bill they say would undermine the work midwives do in the province.

Demonstrations were held in different cities in Quebec.

Bill 15, introduced by Health Minister Christian Dubé, aims to reform the health-care system, notably through the creation of the Crown corporation Santé Québec.

According to the protesters, Bill 15 will force midwives to lose some of their powers they currently carry out for the mothers-to-be they assist.

"It's simply paternalistic," said Bertrand.

Aurélie Samoisette, left, is a practicing midwife. She says the Quebec government hasn’t listened to midwives. (Chloë Ranaldi/CBC)

"The aim of the rally was to defend the fundamental rights of women giving birth, as well as the professional autonomy of midwives," said Sarah Landry, coordinator of the Coalition pour la pratique sage-femme.

Quebec's Health Ministry told CBC News it recognizes the expertise of midwives and will not impede on their autonomy. The ministry said Bill 15 will allow midwives to admit and discharge patients to and from hospital without having to consult a doctor. It also said it is working to give midwives the power to prescribe abortion pills when necessary.

"What we want is for all healthcare professionals to be able to work together rather than in silos," the ministry said in a statement.

But Landry disagrees, calling on the government to back down.

"[Doctors and midwives] are already working together, but working together is not having one above the other," she said.

"This puts midwives under the supervision of doctors, which is not at all desirable."

In Quebec, the midwife profession was only legalized in 1999. According to several demonstrators, Bill 15 would undermine the gains that midwives have obtained through the legalization of their profession.

"Since the legalization of midwifery, midwives have had various mechanisms to protect their autonomy," said Landry. "The Conseil des sages-femmes has been abolished, to be replaced by the Conseil des médecins, dentistes, pharmaciens et sages-femmes [in Bill 15], and it is on this committee that midwives find themselves in the minority."

Aurélie Samoisette began practicing as a midwife in June. In that time, she has seen the woman she has worked with undergo a life-changing experience, she said.

"It's transformative for the individuals and for the communities as well, " said Samoisette.

Samoisette says the Quebec government has failed to consult midwives for their proposed changes and doesn't seem to understand the work she does.

"I think that Bill 15 doesn't seem coherent," she said, adding that she doubts women were at the decision-making table.

FASCIST 'FREEDOM CONVEY'

Trial begins for Farfadaas protest group leader Steeve Charland


CBC
Mon, October 23, 2023


A criminal trial expected to last about three weeks has begun in Ottawa for Steeve Charland, spokesperson for the Farfadaas protest movement, who is alleged to have committed and counselled mischief during the Freedom Convoy protest in downtown Ottawa in 2022.

The resident of Grenville-sur-la-Rouge, Que., has pleaded not guilty to both charges. He is being represented by lawyer Nicholas St-Pierre.

Charland appeared in the Ontario Court of Justice in Ottawa on Monday for the first day of his trial with his wife and about 15 supporters.

Two Gatineau police officers were expected to be called to testify by assistant Crown François Dulude on Monday.

Les Farfadaas is a Quebec group that was formed to protest against public health measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The group had origins in La Meute, regarded by experts to be a far right, anti-Islam and anti-immigration organization.

Autoworkers strike at Stellantis plant shutting down big profit center, 41,000 workers now picketing

Mon, October 23, 2023


DETROIT — The United Auto Workers union has once again escalated its strikes against big Detroit automakers, this time adding a factory that makes Ram pickup trucks for Stellantis.

The union says that 6,800 members walked out Monday morning and shut down the Sterling Heights, Michigan, Assembly Plant, a huge profit center for the company.

The newest strike action comes just three days after union President Shawn Fain reported progress in talks with General Motors and Stellantis but said the companies will have to make better offers. No progress was reported with Ford, which last week said it had the best offer of the three.

The union went on strike Sept. 15 at one assembly plant from each company. About 41,000 workers are now on strike against all three automakers. The strikes, now in their sixth week, cover seven assembly plants and 38 parts warehouses. About 28% of the union's work force at the three companies are now on strike.

General Motors, which increased its offer last week, and Ford were spared in the latest escalation. At first the union avoided striking at pickup and large SUV plants, which at all three produce vehicles that make the most money for the companies. But that changed two weeks ago when the UAW took out a giant Ford heavy-duty pickup and SUV plant in Louisville, Kentucky.

In previous strikes the union has targeted a particular company and reached an agreement that served as a pattern for a deal with the other two.

In a statement, the union said that offers from Stellantis, formed in the 2021 merger of Fiat Chrysler and France's PSA Groupe, lag Ford and GM despite the automaker having the most revenue and highest profits of the three.

Stellantis has the worst offer on cost of living raises, how fast workers move to the top of the pay scale, temporary worker pay, converting temps to full time, and other issues, the union said.

In a statement, Stellantis said it was “outraged” that the Sterling Heights plant was added to the strike list because the company improved its offer on Thursday but has not received a response from the UAW. The new offer included a 23% wage increase over four years, nearly a 50% increase in retirement savings contributions and added job security provisions, the company said.

“Our very strong offer would address member demands and provide immediate financial gains for our employees,” the statement said. “Instead the UAW has decided to cause further harm to the entire automotive industry as well as our local, state and national economies.”

With every plant it adds, the union “sacrifices domestic market share to nonunion competition,” hurting the company's ability to invest and compete, the statement said.

The union expects to make counteroffers to Stellantis and GM soon.

DeSean McKinley, 45, of Detroit, who has worked at the Sterling Heights plant for nine years, was surprised by the strike but said he supports the union's action.

“Now, we’re here, fighting for solidarity — fighting for what’s right for us,” McKinley said. “We’re not going to keep playing. So we’re going to shut down your bread and butter.”

By taking down the Stellantis factory, the union is signaling Ford and GM to improve their offers, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said. Last week it appeared a deal might be in the works, but Fain said Friday that the companies will need to pay more.

“It takes a potential deal that appeared on the table -- at least for now -- off of it,” Ives said, predicting the the union will announce new strike locations later this week. "There could be some tough talks ahead,” Ives said.

On Friday, Fain said Stellantis and GM have made wage offers that matched Ford’s 23% over the life of a four year contract. But, speaking in his characteristic sharp tones, the union president insisted that the companies can go further.

“We’ve got cards left to play, and they’ve got money left to spend,” Fain said.

While Fain said the companies keep touting that they’ve made record offers to the UAW, he said they’re insufficient to make up for how much ground workers have lost during the past two decades. Each time the automakers make an offer, Fain said, they insist it’s the best they can do, only to return days later with a better offer.

“What that should tell you,” Fain said, is that “there’s room to move.”

____

Koenig reported from Dallas. Associated Press writer Mike Householder in Sterling Heights, Michigan, contributed to this report.

Tom Krisher And David Koenig, The Associated Press

What to know about the St. Lawrence Seaway strike

The Canadian Press
Mon, October 23, 2023



MONTREAL — The St. Lawrence Seaway has shut down as hundreds of workers walked off the job Sunday. Here are answers to a few key questions about what's going on:

What is the St. Lawrence Seaway?

The St. Lawrence Seaway is a marine shipping route that links the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes through a system of 15 locks between Lake Erie and Montreal.

The seaway is co-managed by the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp., a not-for-profit established by the Canadian government, and the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp., a U.S. federal agency.

When combined with the Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. — managed separately by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — the transit system stretches about 3,700 kilometres from Lake Superior to the Atlantic.

What is the importance of the route?

The full Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system, also known as "Highway H2O," serves over 100 ports and commercial docks and helps Canada's Prairie provinces and the U.S. Midwest export goods. Key cargo includes grain, iron ore, petroleum products, stone and coal.

A 2018 study by Martin Associates found that goods moving through the system supported more than 78,000 direct jobs and $35 billion in revenue in both Canada and the U.S.

Last year, the 300-kilometre St. Lawrence Seaway stretch carried more than 200 million tons of goods worth about $16.7 billion — nearly half of it grain and iron ore.

Why are workers striking?

The approximately 360 striking workers include Unifor members at Locals 4211, 4212 and 4323 in Ontario and Locals 4319 and 4320 in Quebec.

The union says they are fighting for higher wages from the St. Lawrence Seaway Corp. to keep up with the rising cost of living.

Unifor Quebec director Daniel Cloutier said in a statement that the jobs involved require intense training, a high level of understanding of health and safety risk and carry enormous responsibility.

What has the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. said?

The SLSMC says it is dedicated to finding a solution, but that union members are pushing for wage increases "inspired" by the negotiations in the auto industry, where Unifor has made substantial gains.

It says that unlike in the auto industry, seaway worker wage gains over the past 20 years have exceeded inflation and are still close to 10 per cent ahead. It says it's working to reach an agreement that balances wage demands and market realities.

The company says it is also waiting for a response to its application under the Canada Labour Code for the union to provide employees during the strike to ensure grain shipments can continue.

The SLSMC says it carried out an orderly full shutdown of the system during the 72-hour notice period. It says no vessels are waiting to exit the system, but more than 100 are waiting outside of it that are impacted by the strike.

What are business groups saying?

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business have urged the federal government to intervene in the strike to avoid disruptions to supply chains.

The business groups say Canadians are already dealing with inflationary pressures that have been caused in part by supply chain issues.

The CFIB said it was very concerned about the strike, noting that small businesses were already hit by the strike at B.C. ports and supply chain disruptions in the summer.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce says the Seaway supports more than 66,000 Canadian jobs and is responsible for $34 million in economic activity a day.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2023.

The Canadian Press

WORKERS CAPITAL

British Columbia Pension Fund Joins AAA Bond Club at Expensive Time

Esteban Duarte
Mon, October 23, 2023 


(Bloomberg) -- British Columbia Investment Management Corporation, which manages C$233 billion ($170 billion) of assets mostly for public sector pensioners in the western province, priced its debut bond sale in Canadian dollars even as borrowing costs hover near historic highs.

The asset manager on Monday raised C$1.25 billion by selling 10-year bonds at a spread of 90.5 basis points over similar tenor government securities, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The notes are expected to garner the highest investment-grade designation by three ratings companies, including Moody’s Investors Service.

Canada’s 10-year government bond yields are at 4.01% — or just about 23 basis points from their highest since 2007 — and compare to an average yield of 3.3% in the last year, Bloomberg-compiled data show. Central banks may be forced to keep interest rates at the highest level in decades for longer than expected as inflation remains above target levels. A representative at BCI declined to comment.

BCI is following other pension plans in adding bond programs to their arsenal for more flexibility to implement investment strategies.

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, a regular issuer whose debt is also top rated, sold C$1 billion of 10-year bonds on Sept. 26 at a spread of 78 basis points over the benchmark, Bloomberg-compiled data show. The 4.75% CPPIB notes were quoted at a spread of about 78.5 basis points on Monday, according to Bloomberg indicative bid prices.

(Updates to say deal is priced.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

Halifax council to consider designated Mi'kmaw seat

CBC
Mon, October 23, 2023 


Halifax councillors will look at creating a designated Mi'kmaw council seat, and reviving the idea of allowing permanent residents to vote in municipal elections.

A report on what changes would be needed to bring in various electoral reforms came before the city's executive standing committee on Monday. It noted the municipality does not have the power on its own to establish designated districts for specific groups, like African Nova Scotian, Acadian, or Indigenous representation, without permission from the provincial government.

Coun. Waye Mason of Halifax South Downtown said the timing is right, because a common theme emerged from Mi'kmaw groups during consultation on Halifax's new culture and heritage priorities plan.

"What we heard, over and over again, was 'we think there should be a Mi'kmaw seat in Halifax,'" Mason said during the meeting.

Coun. Waye Mason says many Mi'kmaw groups have called for a designated seat on regional council (CBC)

Mason said while any model would be created in discussion with Mi'kmaw representatives, one option could be the former school board model. In that process, residents could opt to vote for people running for a designated seat.

But Coun. Paul Russell, representing Lower Sackville, said he sat on the Halifax school board 20 years ago, and that system brought "challenges." Russell said those in designated seats naturally have to become a more vocal advocate for their population, rather than the whole region.

"There are some who believe that this ultimately led to the demise of the school boards," Russell said.

"Consider very carefully what would happen if we have someone in that role who is more of an activist."

Coun. Patty Cuttell of Spryfield-Sambro Loop-Prospect Road said an activist could run for municipal office in any district now, and all councillors have a responsibility to act in the best interests of residents across Halifax.

"Having that voice as part of our discussions and deliberations is an important one, and it's also an important one in a step to reconciliation," Cuttell said.

Waverley, Fall River and Musquodoboit Valley Coun. Cathy Deagle Gammon, said she supported the idea, but had concerns about choosing one special interest group over others.

Cuttell said the Mi'kmaq are in a different situation than any other groups, because they are the original people of the land, and signed important Peace and Friendship Treaties with the governing British hundreds of years ago.

"It's about … how we work together moving forward," Cuttell said.

Designated seat available in legislature

Mason pointed out that there is "tremendous precedent" on the issue in Nova Scotia already, because the provincial legislature has had a seat for a Mi'kmaw representative since 1992 that has never been filled.

The standing committee eventually recommended that regional council should get the mayor and staff to ask the province for permission to consider a Mi'kmaw council seat.

It also recommended that council ask the province to revisit the topic of allowing permanent residents to vote

Halifax council has pushed for the change for years, requesting in 2014 that the province amend the Municipal Elections Act to extend voting rights to permanent residents in Nova Scotia.

Mayor Mike Savage raised it with the former Liberal government again in 2019, but it has never happened. On Monday, multiple councillors and Savage talked about the importance of giving the vote to people who've lived in Halifax for years, pay taxes, often own property, and use municipal services, but do not hold Canadian citizenship.

"I just get a little frustrated that as a province we talk a lot about the importance of new Canadians … I think it's something we should be looking at," Savage said.

Both recommendations will come before regional council at a later date.

Mi'kmaw language users can now text with new Apple keyboard

CBC
Mon, October 23, 2023 


Apple users can now text their friends with a keyboard tailored for Mi'kmaw dialects and one fluent speaker thinks that will help the next generation of language learners.

The Mi'kmaw language keyboard, which rolled out last month as part of Apple software updates, was a partnership between Apple and Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey, a language education authority for 12 communities in Nova Scotia.

"Some of the kids at the immersion school will be able to properly communicate and properly use a keyboard that will have the Mi'kmaw way of spelling," said Patrick Denny from Eskasoni First Nation, 270 kilometres northeast of Halifax.

"That will further develop their communication skills that they'll be able to pass on."

Denny said he's lucky to be a fluent speaker and writer in his language at age 29.

His community has over 1,000 speakers but he said there's still hesitation by some to write in the language.


Patrick Denny is Mi'kmaw from Eskasoni First Nation and he's excited to see the next generation able to speak and write in Mi'kmaw. (submitted by Patrick Denny )

Denny said people fear misspelling words, but with so many people communicating by text and social media, having a Mi'kmaw keyboard will help normalize using the language.

"We have all these resources and these tools that are available to us so that we can continue to revitalize and further the Mi'kmaw language," said Denny.

Blaire Gould, executive director of Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey, said they've established a relationship with Apple for a number of years, and use iPads in their classrooms.

She said it's about blending traditional knowledge with innovative technology.


Blaire Gould is the executive director of Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey, an organizational team representing the educational interests of Nova Scotia First Nations. She said in order to revitalize the language, educators have to use innovative tools. (Robert Short/CBC)

"My belief is that language has to evolve and the evolution of languages ensures the survival of languages," said Gould.

"We have to evolve with the times and not forget our old ways, but infusing new ways into the work that we're doing."

She said Apple approached her a year ago about the Mi'kmaw keyboard. Apple did not respond to a request for comment by time of publishing.

Gould said she had Apple meet with their IT manager and their elders advisory board, which is made up of about 15 elders and language keepers from surrounding communities, because she wanted to make sure their elders approved of the way the language was presented and to ensure it was accurate.


J.R. Isadore is the IT Manager for Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey (Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey)

J.R. Isadore, the IT manager, is from Membertou First Nation and helped with developing Mi'kmaw language apps like L'nui'suti.

"Apple is really supporting efforts to revitalize First Nation languages and I think they're showing it in this way," said Isadore.

He said the keyboard includes words from different orthographies and dialects like Francis-Smith, Pacifique and Listuguj and features symbols like the schwa.

Kwanlin Dün First Nation reacts to UN report on climate funding


CBC
Mon, October 23, 2023 


The chief of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation in Yukon says he's not surprised by the findings in a recent report from the United Nations. The UN's Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples found that First Nations are often missing out on funding for green initiatives.

After meeting with Indigenous leaders in Canada earlier this year, Special Rapporteur José Francisco Calí Tzay presented his first report to a delegation in Geneva in late September.

Tzay found that not only are Indigenous governments not being treated as equal stakeholders in the climate crisis, they are being excluded from the majority of green financing initiatives.

"Funding does not effectively reach Indigenous Peoples and their projects," Tzay said.

That rings true for Kwanlin Dün Chief Sean Smith. He believes the current level of funding for land guardian programs doesn't indicate genuine investment in co-leadership and co-management.

"They say, First Nations are going to help lead us, First Nations are going to help us deal with the impacts of climate change," Smith said. "But do they put that into their practice?"

The Canadian government pledged a cumulative $572 million toward Indigenous-led conservation initiatives between 2016 and 2021.

While that funding was welcomed as a historic step, it was still less than one per cent of the government's total funding for green financing over the same period.

Since 2016, Canada has committed more than$100 billion toward clean growth and climate action.

Barriers to funding

Tzay's report also found issues in funding delivery between governments and Indigenous-led programming.

"Obstacles to financing must be understood in the context of the underlying structural racism and colonialism that continue to affect Indigenous Peoples," he wrote.

Current barriers include a focus on short-term projects with tight deadlines, and the fact that Indigenous worldviews and realities are rarely accommodated.

Brandy Mayes, who works as Kwanlin Dün's heritage, lands and resources operations manager, has experienced some of those obstacles through her own practice.

"You almost need a project manager just to manage all the funding requirements and reporting," she said.

Mayes leads the First Nation's stewardship program, which uses traditional knowledge and science to monitor and care for plants and animals.

Brandy Mayes is the Kwanlin Dün First Nation's heritage, lands and resources operations manager. (Caitrin Pilkington/CBC)

She agreed with Tzay's assessment that funding rollout doesn't always align with the First Nation's monitoring goals and timelines.

"There's very narrow parameters for the Guardian program," she said. "When it comes to working on the land and incorporating Indigenous knowledge into the program, there's a lot more to it than just ticking a couple boxes."

Mayes said it can be difficult to justify funding for a holistic land management approach which doesn't narrowly focus on one species or one particular research question.

"It's just caribou monitoring. That's it. Not wolf monitoring, not the other ungulates. It's very, very centred around what they want from you," she said.

Instead, the First Nation works to source funding from other avenues to ensure important projects get completed.

According to Tzay, funding should be "channelled in ways that are relevant and appropriate for Indigenous Peoples."

"Flexible, long-term, gender-inclusive, timely and accessible, and [ensuring] accountability," he wrote.

Tzay also noted that capacity support and legal, financial and technical consulting may help grants to go further. For remote communities, these resources may otherwise be difficult to access.

For Kwanlin Dün, the research the land stewards produce is used by the City of Whitehorse, the Yukon Government, non-profit organizations and companies such as ATCO Electric Yukon.

Ethical green financing

In his address to the UN human rights council, Tzay said a lack of recognition of Indigenous leadership on climate issues isn't just a human rights issue – it's a loss for the planet.

"The most biodiverse and best preserved lands are those that have been stewarded by Indigenous peoples," he said. "Indigenous peoples' scientific knowledge is critical to solving the climate crisis."

UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Rights José Francisco Calí Tzay presenting at the UN in September 2023. (United Nations Human Rights Council)

In his report, he wrote that Indigenous sovereignty is closely tied to the effectiveness of climate change mitigation strategies.

"Securing [Indigenous] collective land rights and self-determination over their territories is instrumental for the conservation of biodiversity and climate change adaptation."

There are positive signs that Guardian programming will continue to expand in Canada. In December 2022, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $800 million over seven years to support Indigenous-led conservation projects.

But a report released by Climate Action Network Canada in February suggested that $25 billion would be a more appropriate figure, given the gravity of the climate crisis and the importance of effectively including Indigenous leaders at decision-making tables as rights-holders.

Surveying settlement lands, establishing special management areas, fish and wildlife monitoring, and engaging in forest management planning is part of Kwanlin Dün's land claim agreement — a responsibility the First Nation takes seriously.

Chief Smith said moving beyond political rhetoric to actions that express confidence in Indigenous leadership is part of reconciliation.

"You bring people into these programs and the land heals," agreed Mayes.

"You know, we've had a lot of hurt, a lot of social impacts that have happened to our people. But you bring them into these programs and they realize they have a lot of skills.

"When people who were born on the land look after it, we can all prepare for what's coming."

Hard right pledges pragmatism after Swiss election triumph

Geneva (AFP) – The hard-right Swiss People's Party, which wants to tackle mass immigration and political correctness, vowed Monday to seek pragmatic solutions with other parties after comfortably topping Switzerland's general elections.


Issued on: 23/10/2023 - 

Both houses of the Swiss parliament are situated in the Federal Palace in Bern © Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP

Final results published Monday showed the SVP took 28.6 percent of the vote on Sunday for the National Council lower house of parliament, improving its share by three percentage points.

"We defend freedom, security and independence," SVP president Marco Chiesa told the Tribune de Geneve newspaper.

"The citizens of this country have given a clear mandate to politics: to face reality and provide solutions."

The SVP left the left-wing Social Democrats trailing on 18 percent, while the centre-right party The Centre garnered 14.6 percent and the right-wing party called FDP.The Liberals 14.4 percent -- with all three chasing parties largely flatlining.

The Greens failed to replicate their dramatic 2019 election gains and slid back four percentage points to finish fifth on 9.4 percent.

Swiss politics relies on consensus and Chiesa said he hoped to forge alliances with other parties to address voters' concerns.

"The Swiss political system is stable. But it is clear that elections are marked by what happens in people's daily lives," the 49-year-old said.

"The fact is today there are nine million inhabitants in Switzerland and we are heading towards 10 million.

"I want to pursue a pragmatic policy: less political correctness, more issues that really concern people," he said, citing population growth, a secure energy supply and Swiss independence -- a key topic for a party that stands strongly for Switzerland's military neutrality and position outside the European Union.

Electors in the wealthy Alpine nation voted for all 200 seats in the National Council lower house of parliament by proportional representation and all 46 in the Council of States upper chamber, by majority vote.

In the National Council, the results left the SVP on 62 seats (up nine), ahead of the Social Democrats on 41 (up two).

The Centre, formed from a merger of previous parties, now has 29 seats and FDP.The Liberals 28.

The Greens have 23 seats (down five), and the Green Liberals 10 (down six).

© 2023 AFP

Swiss anti-immigration party rebounds to become largest parliamentary faction

Switzerland's anti-immigration Swiss People's Party rebounded from searing losses four years ago to become the largest parliamentary faction after the election, official results showed, as two environmentally-minded parties lost ground despite record glacier melt in the Alpine country.


Issued on: 23/10/2023 - 

Members of the right-wing Swiss People's Party cheer in St. Gallen, Switzerland on October 22, 2023. The anti-immigration party rebounded from searing losses four years ago, expanding its hold as the largest parliamentary faction following Sunday's elections. 

© Christian Merz, AP
By:NEWS WIRES

Pre-election polls suggested that Swiss voters had three main concerns: Rising fees for the obligatory, free market-based health insurance system; climate change, which has eroded Switzerland’s many glaciers; and worries about migrants and immigration.

The final tally late Sunday showed the people's party, known as SVP by its German-language acronym, gained nine seats compared to the last vote in 2019, and climbed to 62 seats overall in parliament's 200-member lower house. The Socialists, in second, added two seats to reach 41 in that chamber, known as the National Council.

It marked the latest sign of a rightward turn in Europe, after victories or electoral gains by conservative parties in places like Greece, Sweden and Italy over the last year, even if voters in Poland rejected their national conservative government last week.

A new political alliance calling itself The Center, born of the 2021 fusion of the center-right Christian Democrat and Bourgeois Democrat parties, made its parliamentary election debut and took third place – with 29 seats, eclipsing the free-market Liberal party, which lost a seat and now will have 27.

Environmentally minded factions were the biggest losers: The Greens shed five seats and will now have 23, while the more centrist Liberal-Greens lost six, and now will have 10.

Political analyst Pascal Sciarini of the University of Geneva said Monday that the result was largely a “swing of the pendulum” and that support for the Greens was diluted in part because many voters felt they had already taken a big step toward protecting the environment by overwhelmingly approving a climate bill in June that will curb Switzerland's greenhouse gas emissions.

“At first glance, it’s a bit surprising because the climate crisis is even more present than it was four years ago – when climate worries were the dominant issue among the population,” he said.

He suggested that the bounce back for the SVP was a sign that rising insurance premiums and concerns about growing migration into Switzerland captured many voters’ minds this time.

“It’s perhaps that there was a sort of competition among concerns – and that made the job harder for the Greens to make climate concerns the dominant theme in the media,” Sciarini said.

Overall, the vote isn’t likely to have significant impact on Swiss foreign policy, he said. The country’s executive branch operates like a permanent government of national unity, where no single faction has total sway – what’s known among the Swiss as their “magic formula” of democracy to ensure balance and moderation, and ensure that personalities don’t dominate politics.

Even with their electoral victory, the SVP only holds just over 30% of seats in the lower house. The composition of the legislature, which is elected every four years, ultimately shapes the composition of the executive branch, which is called the Federal Council and includes President Alain Berset, who plans to leave government at the end of the year.

But the legislative vote result won’t significantly alter the composition of the Federal Council, where the SVP already has two seats – as do the Socialists, the free-market Liberals, while the Center has one.

The Center party, by outscoring the Liberals, may make a bid to swipe one of their two seats, and the Socialists will have to choose a successor for Berset; Those are the only likely changes to the Federal Council.

The Swiss president is essentially “first among equals” in the seven-member council, where each of the members hold portfolios as government ministers and take turns each year holding the top job – which is essentially a ceremonial one to represent Switzerland abroad. Berset will be succeeded next year by centrist Viola Amherd.

In Switzerland, voters also participate directly in government decision making. Voters regularly go to the polls – usually four times a year – to vote on any number of policy decisions. Those referendum results require parliament to respond.

More broadly, Switzerland has found itself straddling two core elements to its psyche: Western democratic principles like those in the European Union – which Switzerland has refused to join – and its much vaunted “neutrality” in world affairs.

A long-running and intractable standoff over more than 100 bilateral Swiss-EU agreements on issues like police cooperation, trade, tax and farm policy, has soured relations between Brussels and Bern – key trading partners.

The Swiss did line up with the EU in imposing sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine. The Federal Council is considering whether to join the EU and the United States in labeling Hamas a terror organization. Switzerland has joined the United Nations in labeling al-Qaida and Islamic State group as terrorists.

Switzerland, with only about 8.5 million people, ranks 20th in world economic output, according to the International Monetary Fund, and it’s the global hub of wealth management: where the world’s rich park much of their money, to benefit from low taxes and a discreet environment.

(AP)