Freeland called back to testify on BC Ferries' deal with Chinese shipyard

Former transport minister Chrystia Freeland is being called back to a committee to testify after emails suggested the ministry was given weeks of notice that BC Ferries was buying four new vessels from a Chinese shipyard.

The House of Commons transport committee unanimously passed the motion to have Freemen testify after The Globe and Mail reported on emails between BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez and Transport Canada deputy minister Arun Thangaraj.

Freeland had criticized the ferry deal after it became public in June, saying she was “dismayed” by BC Ferries’ decision to buy from state-owned China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards.

The Canada Infrastructure Bank, a Crown corporation, loaned BC Ferries $1 billion to finance the purchase.

But the Globe said it obtained an April 29 email