Chignecto Isthmus case waste of Nova Scotia Court of Appeal's time: federal lawyer
Lawyer Lori Ward told the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal that the issue before it is actually a 'pressure tactic' to be used as 'ammunition in the political arena.'
Get daily National news
Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
Ward points out that even if it's decided that Ottawa has sole jurisdiction over the low-lying, narrow strip of land that connects the two provinces, it would have no obligation to fund projects aimed at preventing catastrophic flooding.
She says the federal government has already committed to fund half of the estimated $650 million needed to upgrade centuries-old dikes that protect the area.
The provinces maintain it's Ottawa's responsibility to protect rail, power and communication lines as well as inter-provincial trade from climate-change impacts, but federal lawyer Jan Jensen argued that this does not require Canada to protect the dikes.
Story continues below advertisement
The court has reserved its decision.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 21, 2025.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
Metro Vancouver blasted for shelving review of sewage treatment plant debacle
The North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant is $3 billion over budget and will cost taxpayers for decades. Late Friday, Metro Vancouver directors held a secret vote and decided to shelve a review of the debacle. Metro Vancouver claims it's putting the review on hold because of ongoing litigation with the project's former contractor, Acciona. The trial isn't scheduled to start until 2027. 2:00 A tour of Metro Vancouver's controversial wastewater treatment plant 'Absolutely deplorable that they did this,' said New Westminster Councillor Daniel Fontaine. Story continues below advertisement 'Taxpayers are not going to get answers likely now until at least after the next civic election, which is completely unacceptable.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy BC Conservative MLA and municipal affairs critic Tony Luck also weighed in, saying, 'David Eby should be stepping in and asking for that review to continue. There's no reason for it to be shut down.' Over the past year, Eby has promised repeatedly to take action on Metro Vancouver's failures. On July 17, 2024, he said, 'It is high time for Metro Vancouver to bring in an auditor to have a look at that.' On July 24, 2024, he commented, 'If Metro Vancouver fails to meet those standards, the province will step in.' 1:59 Fired wastewater plant contractor fires back at Metro Vancouver On Sept. 10, 2024, Eby said, 'But if they fail to do it, the province will step in.' On Jan. 22, 2025, 'This review can't come a moment too soon.' And on July 25, 2025, Eby said, 'If they can',t then the province is prepared to step in.' Story continues below advertisement Monday morning, July 28th, he said, 'We'll have a look at the justification for the decision by Metro Vancouver and how to move forward. But the bottom line is that Metro Vancouver needs to ensure accountability for taxpayers and, we'll make sure that that happens.' For its part, Metro Vancouver refuses to say which directors voted to delay the review, and claims it 'has maintained a clear and consistent record of public disclosure.' Fontaine said Eby needs to call an inquiry through the Local Government Act or allow the auditor general to intervene.
Global News
2 hours ago
- Global News
AUPE, province agree to renewed mediation in last attempt at deal
Alberta and the union representing thousands of provincial government employees say they have agreed to a new round of mediated bargaining. Guy Smith, the president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, said the renewed talks are considered the final opportunity for getting a new deal for some 23,000 government workers after 18 months of bargaining. Smith credits Finance Minister Nate Horner for stepping in to restart talks with the AUPE and recognizing the importance of continuing negotiations. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The union and the government have agreed not to disclose their bargaining positions publicly but Smith says the outstanding issues are pay and working conditions. In May, the union voted 90 per cent in favour of striking, and the strike vote will remain valid until mid-September. Smith says if the new round of talks goes well and ends with an agreement or settlement proposal, a vote of union members would take place in early September. Story continues below advertisement 'Our goal is clear and supported by our members: a fair agreement that addresses the real concerns of the front-line workers who carry this province on their shoulders every day,' Smith said. 'We are prepared to work around the clock to get there.'
Edmonton Journal
2 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
'A wake-up call': Stephen Harper says he advised Carney team to look outside U.S. for trade growth
Article content OTTAWA — Former prime minister Stephen Harper said Monday he's urging Ottawa to find new trading partners outside the United States. Article content 'I think it's fair to say I'm probably the most pro-American prime minister in Canadian history,' Harper told Canadian and American legislators gathered for the annual Midwestern Legislative Conference meeting in Saskatoon. Article content Article content 'We've got to get something short-term worked out with the Trump administration. But this really is a wake-up call for this country to truly diversify its trade export markets. Article content Article content 'Just because we have that geographic proximity does not justify the degree of dependence that we have on a single market.' Harper said he was approached by the government two weeks ago for advice on dealing with U.S. trade policy. Article content The Canadian Press has asked Prime Minister Mark Carney's office whether it approached the former Conservative prime minister for advice but has not yet received a response. Article content Harper told the conference that Canada should no longer rely on Washington for its security. Article content 'While the border is a shared responsibility, let's make sure we spend a lot more on defence so that we can be independently responsible for our own land, seas and skies, independent of the United States,' he said. Article content Article content Harper said that anyone who had asked for his trade advice a year ago would have been urged to deepen economic and security ties with Canada's southern neighbour. Article content Article content 'However, when the government did actually ask me a few weeks ago, my advice was the opposite,' he said. Article content Harper said that while Washington is using a failed economic policy of pursuing economic growth through tariffs, the U.S. still needs trading partners. Article content 'We just cannot be in a position in the future where we can be threatened in this way and not have that leverage,' he said. Article content 'The current government does, you know, get it better than their predecessors.' Article content He said he hopes Americans recognize that they can't take their international allies and trading partners for granted. Article content 'I really do hope that a realization seeps into the United States,' he told the crowd of American lawmakers.
