The B.C. New Democratic Party rebuked its own leader and government over the weekend for allowing the taxpayer-owned BC Ferries corporation to contract out construction of its ships to the Chinese government.

The move occurred at an NDP provincial council meeting on Saturday, where Premier David Eby was grilled for his refusal to override BC Ferries and direct the ships be built in B.C. with new investments to grow a domestic shipbuilding industry.

The provincial labour movement, which makes up a powerful base within the NDP, brought forward an emergency motion to demand BC Ferries be subject to the same B.C.-only procurement rules the Eby government put in place for the rest of the public sector at the start of the U.S. tariff war. The resolution was sponsored by the BC Federation of Labour, United Steelworkers and CUPE BC.

The motion passed. While it is non-binding to the government, it serves as an admonition to the premier that the party is displeased with the direction of BC Ferries and his government on the issue.

The vote followed an extraordinary 24 hours of tension between the Eby government and organized labour, which have spoken out publicly against BC Ferries.

The BC Federation of Labour, BC Building Trades and BC Ferry & Marine Workers’ Union all criticized BC........

© BIV