🚀 go-pugleaf

From:
http://www.torontofreepress.com/2005/cover051605.htm

Canada shipbuilding in Shanghai
by Judi McLeod, Canadafreepress.com
Monday, May 16, 2005

Four years ago, Canadian Steamship Lines International, a subsidiary of
the Prime Minister Paul Martin-blind trust Canada Steamship Lines,
entered into a deal with Shanghai-based Jiangnan Shipyard to build two
bulk cargo vessels--at $45-million per ship.

CSL has moved shipbuilding from Canada and the West to Communist China.

The two Chinese-built bulk cargo vessels are not the first ships built
for CSL in the Orient.

The Sheila Ann, a bulk carrier named after Martin's wife, was built
in China in 1999.

In spite of its name, the Sheila Ann may never have come to public
attention.

But a few days after his June 28, 2004 election as Canadian Prime
Minister, 83 kilograms of cocaine, with a street value between
$12-million to $14-million was found in an underwater grate attached to
the bottom of the vessel.

When the two $45-million vessels from the Shanghai shipyard set sail on
the world's seas, they will never be recognized as Canadian owned.

According to Transport Canada, "the vast majority of vessels in the
Canadian-controlled international fleet operate under foreign flags and
employ foreign officers and crew."

CSL operates more vessels abroad than it does in Canada.

"The company's U.S.-based subsidiary CSL International has 19 vessels
in its fleet, which are registered in foreign locales such as the
Bahamas or Vanuatu and are often crewed by lower-paid seamen from the
Ukraine or the Philippines." (Ottawa Citizen, Feb. 8, 2004). "By
contrast, the Montreal-based parent company, Canada Steamship Lines
sails just 17 ships domestically, according to the CSL's own fleet
listings."

Why Martin would be building ships in Communist China is as much a
mystery as why the Quebec-based Bombardier, propped up with millions of
dollars by a Canadian Liberal government, would be handing China access
to Tibet with a state-of-the-art railway line. (Although Martin's
three sons now run CSL, Martin owned the company when he entered the
shipbuilding deal with Jiangnan Shipyard.)

Martin's economic links with China carry on the legacy of his
predecessor, Prime Minister Jean Chretien. The oriental links of both
parties took root in the formidable Quebec-based Power Corp. of Canada.

Martin was launched into the world of business at Power Corp. in the
1960s, working for Canadian diplomat Maurice Strong, the company's
president. In time, Power's patriarch, Paul Desmarais gave Martin the
presidency of its subsidiary Canada Steamship Lines, which Martin
purchased before going on to amass a fortune.

In the late 1970s, Power Corp. was one of the founding members of the
influential Canada China Business Council, a powerful organization
representing some 232 corporations, in their bid to boost business
between Canada and China.

These include Bombardier Inc., Nortel Networks Corp., Sun Life
Financial, Manulife Financial, the Bank of Montreal and Barrick Gold
Corp. Strong, Martin's mentor, is listed as an "honorary director" of
the council. Peter Kruyt, vice president of Power Corp. has been chair
of the council since 2002.

Bombardier Inc. and Power Corp. are now partners in a massive project
with China National Railway to deliver 300 inter-city rail cars to
China. The two companies have invested a total of $110-million to build
a manufacturing plant. Bombardier stands to make $550-million if China,
as rumored, opts for 200 additional cars.

At the same time as Bombardier and Nortel plan the `Orient Express
Deluxe Deluxe', comes a new Canada-China Air Agreement.

Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre and International Trade Minister
Jim Peterson announced April 19 the conclusion of a new and expanded
bilateral air transport agreement with the People's Republic of
China.

The new agreement provides for a three-fold increase in permitted
passenger and cargo flights to be operated by more airlines between
city pairs and under more flexible operating conditions than under the
previous agreement.

By sea, by air and by railway, Canada has aligned itself with the
communist People's Republic of China.

Canada Free Press founding editor Judi McLeod is an award-winning
journalist with 30 years experience in the media. A former Toronto Sun
and Kingston Whig Standard columnist, she has also appeared on
Newsmax.com, the Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, and World Net Daily. Judi
can be reached at: lett...@canadafreepress.com.