tjili casino The House subcommittee investigating former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) partisan January 6 Special Committee “interviewed hundreds of witnesses,” but testimony from the most notorious star of Pelosi’s hearings is conspicuously absent from its report. The subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), issued an interim report December 17, 2024, calling former White House employee Cassidy Hutchison the Pelosi “Select Committee’s star witness.” But despite the subcommittee “interview[ing] hundreds of witnesses,” the committee’s report makes no reference to bringing in Hutchinson for questioning – despite mentioning her by name 268 times. According to a source, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) personally intervened to block the subcommittee from issuing a subpoena to Hutchinson. Johnson, in a statement to Breitbart News, called that claim “clearly false.” Breitbart asked the subcommittee and Loudermilk’s personal office why the subcommittee did not question Hutchinson despite her prominence throughout the report and the subcommittee’s otherwise thorough, exhaustive work. Breitbart also asked about any alleged interference from Johnson in the subcommittee’s work, particularly if Johnson interfered in any efforts to subpoena Hutchinson. The subcommittee and Loudermilk’s office did not respond. Johnson’s full statement to Breitbart, in which he denies blocking the subpoena, also broke the news that he will be continuing the subcommittee’s work into the next Congress, but that it will be “elevated” to the full committee level. Johnson’s statement regarding Breitbart’s source’s claim reads in full: This is clearly false. I have never blocked any subpoena and don’t even have the authority to do so. As Speaker, I have pressed for full transparency regarding the events of January 6 and the Democrats’ sham J6 Committee. I directed our House Oversight subcommittee to release the J6 video footage for the American people to see, and I allocated almost two million additional dollars to hire additional staff to conduct the crucial investigative work. We are proud of the subcommittee’s important work in exposing the false narratives and lies peddled by the Democrats’ J6 committee. But there is much work still to be done, so I am elevating the investigation from the subcommittee level to the full committee level — thereby giving it full subpoena authority. We look forward to House Republicans continuing this investigation and working with the incoming Trump Administration, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, to fully expose the phony and politically-motivated J6 Committee. The statement does not make clear what role Loudermilk will play after the investigation is elevated out of the Oversight Subcommittee. Breitbart shared Johnson’s statement via email with a spokesperson for the subcommittee and asked for a comment, including if the subcommittee was made aware by Johnson that its work would be continued by the committee. The spokesperson did not respond. As Johnson’s statement alludes, the subcommittee does not have unilateral authority to issue subpoenas. Generally in the House, subcommittees must issue subpoenas through the cooperation of the full committee. Loudermilk has said he would relish the independent subpoena power afforded by a select committee. The subcommittee spokesperson did not respond when asked if the House Administration Committee or its chairman, Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI), ever interfered with an attempt to issue a subpoena to Ms. Hutchinson, although Breitbart is unaware of any attempt from Steil to do so. In his report , Loudermilk writes that one of the two conditions he needed before accepting the subcommittee assignment from then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was “that I have the autonomy and resources needed to effectively pursue the facts without political bias or outside influence.” “McCarthy assured me that I would be given what I needed to conduct a real investigation and proper oversight,” Loudermilk said. He continued: At one point, the work of the subcommittee was completely halted due to the removal of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker, and subsequently faced internal efforts to derail the investigation. However, our team persevered through the delays; and, when Mike Johnson took the gavel as Speaker of the House, he allocated even more resources to our investigation and committed to more transparency for the American people. The Oversight Subcommittee possesses more resources than most similarly constituted subcommittees, enabling it to beef up its staff, although the subcommittee has remained confined by the constraints of serving under a full committee. Loudermilk’s work chairing the subcommittee has been widely praised by Republicans, even by Donald Trump himself. Trump heaped praise Sunday on Loudermilk for his “great work” as chairman. “Congratulations to Congressman Barry Loudermilk on the great work he has done in exposing the massive corruption of the J6 Unselect Committee of Political Thugs!” he posted on Truth Social, also thanking Mark Levin for elevating much of Loudermilk’s work. “We need more Warriors like Barry and Mark to expose the massive corruption taking place in our Country!” Hutchinson worked on Capitol Hill for then-Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) and followed him to the White House when he became Trump’s Chief of Staff. She served in several relatively low-level capacities which included acting as a gatekeeper to Meadows – a role through which Hutchinson would have interacted with numerous lawmakers seeking time with Meadows. Loudermilk’s subcommittee has blasted Hutchinson for communicating with disgraced Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) without her own attorney’s knowledge. Those communications began after Hutchinson had sat before the committee twice. After Hutchinson and Cheney began communicating, Hutchinson went back to the committee and began introducing multiple new claims, many of them secondhand, which were subsequently denied by those present. In his report, Loudermilk says “Cassidy Hutchinson’s most outrageous claims lacked any evidence, and the Select Committee had knowledge that her claims were false when they publicly promoted her.” “[T]he Select Committee chose to focus the conclusions of its nearly one-thousand-page report largely on the uncorroborated and inconsistent testimony of one witness—Cassidy Hutchinson,” the report points out. “Hutchinson gave Representative Cheney and the other Members of the Select Committee exactly what they were looking for.” Bradley Jaye is a Capitol Hill Correspondent for Breitbart News. Follow him on X/Twitter at @BradleyAJaye .PSG falters at Auxerre while Canada's Jonathan David hits double as Lille beat Brest

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani is keeping elite company. The Japanese superstar caps 2024 by winning The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the third time, tying him with basketball great Michael Jordan. He trails only four-time winners Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods and LeBron James. "I'm very honored," Ohtani said through translator Matt Hidaka in an exclusive interview with the AP. "Obviously all the hard work has paid off. Maybe next year, I'll get the award again." In balloting by 74 sports journalists from the AP and its members, Ohtani received 48 votes. He previously won the award in 2023 and 2021, when he was with the Angels. "Growing up in Japan, I did follow Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods," he said. "I would see their accolades and how they were successful in the United States." The AP honor has been given out since 1931. Golfer Babe Didrikson won six times, the most by a man or woman. Swimmer Léon Marchand of France, who won four gold medals at the Paris Olympics, was second with 10 votes in balloting announced Monday. Golfer Scottie Scheffler, whose victories this year included the Masters and an Olympic gold medal, was third with nine. The AP Female Athlete of the Year will be announced Tuesday. Moving from the beleaguered Los Angeles Angels to the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player award and first in the National League, led his new team to its eighth World Series championship and created Major League Baseball's 50/50 club by hitting 54 home runs and stealing 59 bases. Ohtani signed a then-record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December 2023. Already a two-way superstar, he embellished his reputation even further despite not pitching all season while he rehabilitated from a second major right elbow surgery he had in September 2023. Ohtani went wild on offense, making every at-bat a must-see moment. The 6-foot-4 designated hitter batted a career-high .310 while easily surpassing his previous career highs in home runs and stolen bases. In September, he reached the previously unheard of 50/50 mark in a performance for the ages. Against the Miami Marlins in Florida, Ohtani went 6 for 6 with three homers, 10 RBIs, two stolen bases and 17 total bases. "It wouldn't shock me if he went 60/60 and 20 wins a year from now," Brad Ausmus, who managed the Angels in 2019 during Ohtani's second season in Anaheim, said recently. "This guy is the greatest athlete to ever play the sport of baseball and there's not a close second." Ohtani said he knew the Dodgers' franchise record for most homers in a season was 49. His previous best was 46, set in 2021. "I kind of wanted to get over that bar," he said. "I was pleasantly surprised I was able to pass that record." Ohtani carried the Dodgers offensively during the regular season, and he stayed healthy until Game 2 of the World Series. He injured his left shoulder trying to steal second base against the New York Yankees and finished the Series playing hurt. He underwent surgery a few days after the Dodgers celebrated their championship in early November. "I don't have full range of motion yet, but it feels a lot better," he told the AP. "There's no pain. There's obviously still a little bit of tightness, but slowly but surely it's getting better." Ohtani recently received an updated rehab schedule, and he's focused on the near-term. "It's the small steps that I think are very important to get me to the ultimate goal, which is to just get back healthy," he said. Ohtani is also throwing in the 70 mph range, which is typical for pitchers early in the offseason. "I'm going to continue to ramp up slowly," he said. The Dodgers' rotation for next season is in flux, and Ohtani is waiting to see how it shakes out. "We may go with a five-man rotation with a bullpen (game), which is what we did a lot during this season or we may have a six-man rotation," he said. "But it's all about balancing out when we can get rest and recuperate. We'll see where that takes us along the playoff chase. I've got to obviously pace myself, but again that situation will guide us to how we get there." The Dodgers open the 2025 season in Japan, where Ohtani is even more closely watched. "My personal goal is to be fully healthy by the time the opening games do start," he said. "To be able to pitch and hit would be great, but the situation will kind of guide itself." Each time Ohtani comes to the plate or steps on the mound, there's great pressure and expectation for him to perform spectacular feats. "I just go out there and try to stay within myself," he said. "I can only control what I can control and that's where you trust your teammates. The guys behind me, you trust they're going to make the plays for you. I don't really try to overthink it." Ohtani generated big bucks for the Dodgers off the field, too. Fans traveled from Japan in droves to see him play around the U.S. At Dodger Stadium, they paid extra for tours of baseball's third-oldest venue narrated by Japanese-speaking guides and to be on the field during pre-game batting practice. A majority of the fans bought Ohtani-branded merchandise, especially his No. 17 jersey. Ohtani's presence also helped the Dodgers land a bevy of new Japanese sponsors. Because Ohtani prefers to speak Japanese and use an interpreter with the media, he is shrouded in a bit of mystique. Asked before his first postgame series if he was nervous, he dropped a one-word answer in English: "Nope," which drew laughter. Japanese-born Dodgers manager Dave Roberts observed Ohtani's behind-the-scenes interactions with his teammates, coaches and staff, and came away impressed. "I really do believe that as good of a ballplayer as he is, he's a much better person. He's very kind, considerate, he cares," Roberts told the AP. "I'm just proud of any fame or glory or award that he receives because he just does it in such a respectful and humble way." Ohtani relishes his privacy and rarely shares details about himself off the field. That's why his February announcement via Instagram that he had wed Mamiko Tanaka, a former basketball player, stunned his new teammates and the rest of the world. The following month, after the Dodgers arrived in South Korea to open the season, he was enveloped in scandal when his longtime interpreter and friend, Ippei Mizuhara, was fired by the Dodgers after being accused of using millions of dollars of Ohtani's money to place bets with an illegal bookmaker. His new teammates rallied around Ohtani, who was found to have no part in the wrongdoing, and publicly it didn't seem to affect him even if he was privately distressed by it. By June, the uproar had subsided. Mizuhara pleaded guilty to federal bank and tax fraud charges and admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani. The public got a glimpse of Ohtani's softer side in August, when his dog Decoy delivered a first pitch to his owner on their shared bobblehead night. The Nederlandse Kooikerhondje exchanged an endearing high-five with Ohtani at the plate. As a result, Decoy became a celebrity in his own right, with his breed (pronounced COY-ker-HUND-che) making the list of the most mispronounced words of 2024. He and Ohtani were mentioned during the telecast of last month's National Dog Show, where the small Spaniel-type breed was among the competitors. "The number of the breed has kind of dwindled, so by him gaining a little bit of popularity hopefully that brings up the number of his breed," Ohtani said. "I do feel like we were able to, in a small way, contribute to the popularity of the dog and I'm sure Decoy himself would be happy about that." Ohtani will be looking to top himself next year while eyeing a repeat World Series title. "It's almost like right now you can lock in the Most Valuable Player in the National League award because no one has that ability or talent," Roberts said. "I'm just excited to see what '25 has for Shohei Ohtani." Get local news delivered to your inbox!

TEL AVIV: Israel has watched the rapid overthrow of the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with a mixture of hope and concern as officials weigh the consequences of one of the most significant strategic shifts in the Middle East in years. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the ousting of Assad as an “historic day” that followed the blows delivered by Israel against Assad’s supporters Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon that had created a chain reaction throughout the region. “This of course creates new, very important opportunities for the State of Israel. But it is also not without risks,” he said on a visit to the border area on Sunday. Israel has pushed tanks over the border into the buffer zone with Syria to prevent a spillover from the turmoil there, but has declared its intention of staying out of the conflict engulfing its neighbour. Netanyahu said Israel was working on a policy of “good neighbourliness” and would “extend a hand of peace” to Druze, Kurds, Christians and Muslims. “We will closely follow developments. We will do what is necessary to protect our border and protect our security,” he said in a filmed statement. The lightning advance of Syrian rebel forces since their seizure of Aleppo last week has thrown further turmoil into a region already reeling from the shocks of the war in Gaza and Israel’s subsequent campaign against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon. “At the moment, if we aren’t attacked we will just retain the current situation,” Israel’s Consul General in New York Ofir Akunis told Reuters. “Nobody should think that this threat of the Shiite-Iranian axis of evil has been eliminated entirely, there are changes but we need everyone... to be even more vigilant about this,” said Akunis. Overnight, the Israeli military said it was not interfering with internal events in Syria but would “operate as long as necessary in order to preserve the buffer zone and defend Israel and its civilians.” The rapid collapse of the Syrian government has presented Israel with a mix of problems and opportunity, said Dina Lisnyansky, a specialist in regional politics at Tel Aviv University. Iran’s inability to protect its long-time ally Assad has underlined the weakness laid bare by Israel’s devastating campaign against Hezbollah, which left the long-time Iranian proxy reeling, its long-feared missile arsenal largely destroyed and most of its top leadership dead. But the advance of a disparate group of rebel forces with roots in the Islamist ideology of Al Qaeda risks re-igniting chaos in Syria and creating a new security threat on Israel’s borders. “It really depends on what happens next in Syria,” Lisnyansky said. “We need to know if it goes to the peaceful side of events or perhaps whether a new civil war could occur in Syria, which would of course endanger our borders,” she said. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans police arrested on Friday a man accused of killing two people during a large parade where two separate shootings within an hour left two dead and at least 10 wounded. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans police arrested on Friday a man accused of killing two people during a large parade where two separate shootings within an hour left two dead and at least 10 wounded. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans police arrested on Friday a man accused of killing two people during a large parade where two separate shootings within an hour left two dead and at least 10 wounded. Curtis Gray, 19, faces two counts of second-degree murder tied to the Nov. 17 shootings along a crowded parade route, according to a news release from the New Orleans Police Department. Gray allegedly fatally shot Rasean Carter, 21, and Malachi Jackson, 19, at the Almonaster Avenue Bridge, authorities say. Carter, an aspiring photographer who lived in Marrero just across the Mississippi River from New Orleans, had planned to document the Nine Times Social Aid & Pleasure Club’s annual outing and was accompanied by Jackson, his friend and uncle, Nola.com reported. The parade was part of New Orleans’ long-running tradition of “second-lines” where revelers follow brass bands marching through the streets and has deep ties to the city’s Black culture. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The deaths of Carter and Jackson were among a series of recent lethal shootings in New Orleans. While most violence has been on the decline in the city since mid-2023, there were three people killed and eight wounded in six shootings over the past weekend according to Nola.com. On Thursday, New Orleans police arrested two men, Darrell Fairley Jr., 18, and Cornelius G. Tillman, 19, in connection with a Nov. 30 double homicide in New Orleans East. Advertisement

The Alabama Crimson Tide had a rough Sunday, officially eliminated from the College Football Playoff as the last team out of the 12-team bracket. Things took another hit later in the day as the program lost a key player to the transfer portal. Caleb Odom, the 5-star true freshman wide receiver, has reportedly entered the transfer portal after a challenging season in Tuscaloosa. Despite having immense potential and joining a talented receiver corps alongside Ryan Williams. Odom will depart Alabama with three years of eligibility remaining after appearing in all 12 games for the Crimson Tide this season. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Sunday that the sudden collapse of the Syrian government under Bashar Assad is a “fundamental act of justice” after decades of repression, but it was “a moment of risk and uncertainty” for the Mideast. Speaking at the White House, Biden said the U.S. was not sure of Assad's whereabouts, but was monitoring reports he was seeking refuge in Moscow. Biden credited action by the U.S. and its allies for weakening Syria's backers — Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. He said “for the first time” that they could no longer defend Assad's grip on power. “Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East," Biden said. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. WASHINGTON (AP) — The sudden collapse of the Syrian government under Bashar Assad is forcing the Biden administration and the incoming Trump team to confront intensifying questions about the possibility of greater conflicts across the Middle East. President-elect Donald Trump said Sunday that Assad had fled his country, which his family had ruled for decades , because close ally Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, “was not interested in protecting him any longer.” Those comments on Trump's social media platform came a day after he used another post to decry the possibility of the U.S. intervening militarily in Syria to aid the rebels, declaring, “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT." The Biden administration had no intention of intervening, according to President Joe Biden's national security adviser. Biden was meeting with his national security team at the White House on Sunday. He was expected to make public comments later in the day. The U.S has about 900 troops in Syria, including forces working with Kurdish allies in the opposition-held northeast to prevent any resurgence of the Islamic State group. Assad's fall adds to an already tense situation throughout much of region on many fronts, including Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza and its fragile cease-fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump, who takes office Jan. 20, 2025, made a connection between the upheaval in Syria and Russia's war in Ukraine , noting that Assad's allies in Moscow, as well as in Iran, the main sponsor of Hamas and Hezbollah, “are in a weakened state right now.” The Syrian opposition that brought down Assad is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham . The Biden administration has designated the group as a terrorist organization and says it has links to al-Qaida, although Hayat Tahrir al-Sham says it has since broken ties with al-Qaida. Vice President-elect JD Vance , a veteran of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, wrote on own social media Sunday to express skepticism about the insurgents. “Many of ‘the rebels’ are a literal offshoot of ISIS. One can hope they’ve moderated. Time will tell,” he said, using another acronym for the group. Trump has suggested that Assad's ouster can advance the prospects for an end to fighting in Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia in February 2022. Trump wrote that Putin's government “lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine” and the Republican called for an immediate cease-fire, a day after meeting in Paris with the French and Ukrainian leaders . Daniel B. Shapiro, a deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, said the American military presence will continue in eastern Syria but was “solely to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS and has nothing to do with other aspects of this conflict.” “We call on all parties in Syria to protect civilians, particularly those from Syria’s minority communities to respect international military norms and to work to achieve a resolution to include the political settlement,” Shapiro said. “Multiple actors in this conflict have a terrible track record to include Assad’s horrific crimes, Russia’s indiscriminate aerial bomb bombardment, Iranian-back militia involvement and the atrocities of ISIS," he added. Shapiro, however, was careful not to directly say Assad had been deposed by the insurgents. “If confirmed, no one should shed any tears over the Assad regime,” he said. As they pushed toward the Syrian capital of Damascus, the opposition freed political detainees from government prisons. The family of missing U.S. journalist Austin Tice renewed calls to find him. “To everyone in Syria that hears this, please remind people that we’re waiting for Austin,” Tice’s mother, Debra, said in comments that hostage advocacy groups spread on social media. "We know that when he comes out, he’s going to be fairly dazed & he’s going to need lots of care & direction. Direct him to his family please!” Tice disappeared in 2012 outside Damascus, amid intensification of what became a civil war stretching more than a decade. ___ Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain, contributed to this report. Will Weissert, The Associated PressNicholas Hoult and Bryana Holly Make Red Carpet Debut at “Nosferatu” Premiere After 7 Years Together

At the Port of Vancouver’s operations centre, Sean Baxter likes what he sees on a large screen that displays digital mapping of ships along Burrard Inlet. The waters in the inner harbour near downtown Vancouver are calm on this overcast autumn day, with vessels entering and exiting smoothly. “The waterways in the port are becoming busier,” said Mr. Baxter, acting director of marine operations and harbour master at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, which oversees Canada’s largest port. “Co-ordination is really required to make sure that we can proactively set a schedule.” Scheduling transpacific commerce is becoming increasingly important, especially during a period of trade uncertainty when U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has announced plans to impose 25-per-cent tariffs on all goods from Canada and Mexico entering the United States. Over the past year, the Port of Vancouver has been stepping up efforts to shed its laggard image and become a world-class operation. The goal is to help fulfill the Canadian government’s Indo-Pacific economic dreams and position Canada as the gateway to greater transpacific trade over the long term, even as political tensions with China and India escalate in the short term. While Canada’s largest trade relationship overall is with the U.S. by far, China is the number one trading partner for goods handled at the Port of Vancouver. From the port’s operations centre, which is open 24/7, an active traffic management project that includes digital monitoring of marine activity is gearing up for what the port forecasts will be record-high shipments across the Pacific Ocean in the years ahead. Along Burrard Inlet, the port has 23 major terminals. Cargo imports and exports also move from areas nearby, including terminals in Delta, B.C., located about 30 kilometres south of Vancouver. The port recently expanded its scheduling system for keeping tabs on marine traffic, part of efforts to prevent the sprawling operations from being mired in inefficiency. The stakes are high, with trade at West Coast ports being a crucial part of the economic health of British Columbia and with the ripple effects felt across Canada. Various types of international trade, including at Canadian ports and along the Windsor-Detroit trucking corridor, represent two-thirds of Canada’s gross domestic product. Exports alone support about one in six Canadian jobs, according to Mary Ng, the federal Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development. Mr. Trump said he would slap U.S. tariffs on all goods imported from Canada and Mexico soon after he takes office in January, warning that the levies would stay in place until the two countries crack down on drugs and illegal immigrants. He telegraphed his intentions during the U.S. election campaign, but trade experts originally thought the tariffs would be closer to 10 per cent instead of his announcement that proposes 25 per cent. “The recent election of Donald Trump, the prospect of substantial new tariffs and an ‘America First’ attitude will bring added risk and headwinds to our economy,” Greater Vancouver Board of Trade president Bridgitte Anderson cautioned in a letter, dated Nov. 7, to federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon. The board of trade’s “port shutdown calculator” displays an electronic tally of the value of trade disrupted on the West Coast, rising each second whenever there is a strike or lockout. The calculator showed that $8-billion of cargo had been affected at B.C. ports during a 10-day lockout in November of about 730 unionized dock supervisors, based on an estimated impact of $800-million a day. During last year’s two-week strike at B.C. ports by 7,400 rank-and-file longshore workers, the calculator showed that $10.7-billion of cargo had been disrupted. “Unfortunately, in recent years, we have been challenged in various ways to live up to that beacon of stability,” Ms. Anderson said. Mr. MacKinnon issued a directive to impose binding arbitration to end the lockout at B.C. ports and at the Port of Montreal. He used the same method to end work stoppages that lasted several days at Canada’s two largest railways in August. The BC Maritime Employers Association represents DP World Canada and 48 other private-sector companies such as ship owners and terminal operators. Union leaders say they are concerned about the lack of consultation over the implementation of semi-automation at DP World Canada’s Centerm container terminal along Burrard Inlet. Earlier this year, the federal government appointed veteran mediator Vince Ready to head an industrial inquiry commission into conflicts at B.C. ports. Mr. Ready is chairing the two-person commission, with the other member being Vancouver lawyer Amanda Rogers. They will be making recommendations in the spring of 2025 for achieving stability at B.C. ports. The Port of Vancouver’s diversification softened the blow of the economic impact of the November lockout, which shut down sites such as container terminals and potash docks. Exports of coal, heavy oil and bulk grain continued. Bulk grain was still exported overseas, in accordance with the Canada Labour Code. Under the code, grain is deemed essential and must be loaded on ships through stevedoring companies at the docks, although the rule doesn’t apply to workers at grain terminals. About 650 unionized employees at Vancouver grain terminals went on strike for four days in September. A coal export facility, operated by Westshore Terminals Investment Corp. in Delta, kept running during the lockout in November because Westshore has its own collective agreement. Other sites that continued operating included the Westridge Marine Terminal, where tankers depart with heavy oil from the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMX). The first shipment of diluted bitumen from the TMX pipeline left Westridge on May 22 for its journey to China. In six months since that first shipment, an average of 22 tankers per month departed Westridge with heavy oil from TMX, compared with an average of two per month in recent years, before the completion of the expanded pipeline. Last year, more than 150 million tonnes of exported and imported cargo went through the Port of Vancouver, equivalent to the next five largest ports in Canada. China, South Korea, the U.S., Japan and Taiwan were the top five countries sending products imported by Canada into the Vancouver region, based on tonnage. On the export side, the top five countries receiving Canadian goods originating from the Vancouver region were China, Japan, South Korea, India and the U.S. “Despite ongoing economic and diplomatic challenges, it is worth noting that bilateral trade flows remain near record levels” between Canada and China, according to the University of Alberta’s China Institute think tank. The Port of Vancouver handles nearly 80 per cent of Canada-China trade value. The value of merchandise from China imported into Canada surged to $89.2-billion last year, or nearly eight times higher than in 2000, according to Statistics Canada. On the export side, the value of exports from Canada to China soared to $29.8-billion last year, or nine times higher than in 2000. “The Asia-Pacific market is potentially the biggest growth market for Canada and its world trade,” said Leo Ryan, editor of trade publication Maritime Magazine. Commodities such as potash, coal and grain fill ships destined for export to Asia, while imports such as consumer electronics and household goods arrive at container terminals. “How we prioritize and protect our critical trade infrastructure – that has an impact on the health of our economy, opportunities for our businesses and ultimately Canadians’ quality of life,” said Pascal Chan, senior director of transportation at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. The federal government established the National Supply Chain Office in late 2023, with a mandate that involves co-ordinating responses to mitigate the impact of disruptions to the transportation system, whether they be work stoppages or natural disasters. Nationally, over the past two years alone, a series of work stoppages have hit Canada’s supply chain, including last year at the St. Lawrence Seaway and this year at the Port of Montreal and four B.C. ports: Vancouver region, Prince Rupert, Nanaimo and Port Alberni. Last year, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre claimed that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government has fumbled the port file. “We’ve got to speed up our ports as well, unleash our exports by making our ports easier to deal with – more friendly to the truckers who pick up and drop off our goods, remove the gatekeepers and let’s make Vancouver one of the best ports on planet Earth,” Mr. Poilievre said. With larger vessels calling at terminals, it takes longer to unload imported products and load commodities for export, adding to turnaround times that already have given the Port of Vancouver the dubious distinction of being one of the world’s most inefficient for container shipments. The Container Port Performance Index for 2021 , compiled by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence, served as a wake-up call. The administrative index placed Vancouver in 368th spot, or third-last in the rankings, which factor in operating efficiency and turnaround times. Long Beach, Calif., placed second-last and Los Angeles was at the bottom. Vancouver improved in the rankings for 2023, placing 356th out of the expanded list of 405 ports reviewed. In those rankings, Vancouver finished behind Mexico’s Port of Manzanillo’s 331st spot, but ahead of other North American West Coast ports: Seattle, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, Calif., Prince Rupert, B.C., and Tacoma, Wash. China’s Port of Yangshan, near Shanghai, topped the container index rankings of the most efficient ports last year, followed by Salalah in Oman and Cartagena in Colombia. Vancouver Fraser Port Authority officials say the index is a narrow measure that is flawed because it fixates on container shipments. They emphasize that the Port of Vancouver is a diversified operation that handles cargo such as auto imports and bulk grain exports, while also serving as a popular destination for cruise ships. The port authority is a federal agency that reports to Transport Minister Anita Anand. Daniel-Robert Gooch, president of the 17-member Association of Canadian Port Authorities, said one area that Ottawa needs to revisit is financing. Port authorities across the country want greater financial flexibility so they can make much-needed investments themselves, as well as count on Ottawa to pitch in. “We do think there is still a federal role for infrastructure funding,” Mr. Gooch said. “You need to give the port authorities the tools to be nimbler.” Union leaders have seen how lucrative that the global shipping industry can be, especially for transporting containers. Drewry Shipping Consultants Ltd.’s World Container Index – the freight rate of a 40-foot container – peaked at US$10,377 in September, 2021, during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Freight rates have been volatile since then. With global demand faltering, Drewry’s index fell to less than US$1,500 in December, 2023, but recovered this year to hover around US$3,400 recently. Prices typically floated between US$1,200 and US$2,000 for several years prior to the pandemic. The shipping industry deploys large vessels to carry containers, which are reusable steel boxes measured as 20-foot equivalent units, or TEUs. Nearly 1.8 million TEUs of exports and imports went through the Port of Vancouver in the first half of this year, up 14 per cent from the same period in 2023. Leaders at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority acknowledge the obstacles, including labour strife, but they see opportunities through changes big and small. Peter Xotta, who became the port authority’s president in December, 2023, said incremental improvements will help speed up operations. For example, expanding existing rail yards at the Annacis Auto Terminal will boost the capacity for importing Asian-manufactured vehicles. Road and rail infrastructure changes in the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby are expected to improve trade flows near Burrard Inlet. Mr. Xotta replaced Robin Silvester, who stepped down from the port’s top job in June, 2023, after more than 14 years at the helm. Victor Pang, who is the port authority’s chief financial officer, filled in on an interim basis for five months as president. For imports at the Port of Vancouver, the overwhelming majority of goods in containers from Asia are transported by truck and train eastward and stay in Canada, including shipments to Toronto and Montreal. “Our role is unique in a Canadian context,” Mr. Xotta said. “Vancouver plays a prominent role for containers coming inbound. They’re going to where the major population centres are in Canada.” One of the tenants in Delta is coal exporter Westshore, whose largest shareholder is B.C. billionaire Jim Pattison, with a 47-per-cent stake. Westshore is constructing new facilities to allow the company to start handling potash exports in 2026 from BHP Group Ltd.’s Jansen mine in Saskatchewan. The big bet being placed by Mr. Xotta is the port’s container expansion strategy, which focuses on the $3.5-billion Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project near Delta. The project, which is subject to 370 legally binding conditions to comply with environmental rules, received approval last year from the federal and B.C. governments. Environmentalists warn that the new container terminal would threaten intertidal biofilm, affecting shorebirds such as western sandpipers, and harming feeding conditions for endangered southern resident killer whales. Ecojustice Canada, the country’s largest environmental law charity, is opposing Terminal 2 in Federal Court. Construction of an artificial island near Delta will be required for Terminal 2. The initial phase is slated for completion by the mid-2030s, followed by incremental expansion as required to take advantage of what the port envisages will be robust trade between Canada and Asia. The port authority has reached mutual benefit agreements with 27 Indigenous groups consenting to the new site. Upon completion, the additional container capacity could mean a jump of more than 30 per cent compared with the current combined capacity in B.C. Under Mr. Xotta’s new leadership, the port authority has taken a conciliatory approach as the landlord to tenants such as Global Container Terminals Inc. GCT already operates two container terminals in the Vancouver region, namely the Vanterm site along Burrard Inlet and the Deltaport facility in Delta. Mr. Xotta has opened up the competition for the right to run the new container terminal so that Vancouver-based GCT and DP World Canada, whose parent is based in Dubai, are welcome to bid. The Port of Vancouver, which handles one-third of Canada’s trade value with countries outside of North America, expects to weather the looming storm of U.S. tariffs and position itself to thrive in the long term. “It’s absolutely an aspiration for us to be a world-class port,” Mr. Xotta said. “We have to get away from disruption, back to stability, because that’s what will help us restore our reputation and continue to grow.”