Latest news with #Huntley
Associated Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Life Spine Files Lawsuit Against Former CEO Michael Butler for Breaches of Fiduciary Duties and Contracts, Trade Secret Misappropriation, and Tortious Interference
HUNTLEY, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 24, 2025-- Life Spine, Inc., a leading medical device company specializing in spinal surgery innovations, announced today that it has filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, against its former Chief Executive Officer, Michael Butler. In the lawsuit, Life Spine alleges that Mr. Butler wrongfully diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars from the company through a sham importer entity he controlled and funded with Life Spine resources, directed the company to pay his personal expenses in amounts very likely exceeding $1 million—including vacations, jewelry, custom golf clubs and a Porsche for his spouse—and retained possession of highly sensitive intellectual property after his termination. The complaint further alleges that Butler has interfered with Life Spine's critical overseas manufacturing relationships and attempted to sabotage strategic business transactions by sharing non-public information. 'Life Spine takes seriously its duty to protect its employees, partners, and customers from any misconduct that threatens our operations,' said a company spokesperson. The lawsuit is pending in the Chancery Division of the Cook County Circuit Court in Case No. 2025 CH 06287. Life Spine is represented by Michael T. Layden, David Jorgensen, and Jon Spanbauer of Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres LLC. About Life Spine Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Huntley, Illinois, Life Spine is dedicated to developing innovative, high-quality medical devices that improve the lives of patients suffering from spinal disorders. The company's comprehensive portfolio includes advanced spinal implants, instruments, and procedural solutions for minimally invasive surgery. View source version on CONTACT: Media Contact: Michael Layden Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres LLC (312) 641-0881 [email protected] KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA ILLINOIS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES MEDICAL DEVICES HEALTH SURGERY LEGAL GENERAL HEALTH SOURCE: Life Spine, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 06/24/2025 11:50 AM/DISC: 06/24/2025 11:49 AM
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Life Spine Files Lawsuit Against Former CEO Michael Butler for Breaches of Fiduciary Duties and Contracts, Trade Secret Misappropriation, and Tortious Interference
HUNTLEY, Ill., June 24, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Life Spine, Inc., a leading medical device company specializing in spinal surgery innovations, announced today that it has filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, against its former Chief Executive Officer, Michael Butler. In the lawsuit, Life Spine alleges that Mr. Butler wrongfully diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars from the company through a sham importer entity he controlled and funded with Life Spine resources, directed the company to pay his personal expenses in amounts very likely exceeding $1 million—including vacations, jewelry, custom golf clubs and a Porsche for his spouse—and retained possession of highly sensitive intellectual property after his termination. The complaint further alleges that Butler has interfered with Life Spine's critical overseas manufacturing relationships and attempted to sabotage strategic business transactions by sharing non-public information. "Life Spine takes seriously its duty to protect its employees, partners, and customers from any misconduct that threatens our operations," said a company spokesperson. The lawsuit is pending in the Chancery Division of the Cook County Circuit Court in Case No. 2025 CH 06287. Life Spine is represented by Michael T. Layden, David Jorgensen, and Jon Spanbauer of Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres LLC. About Life Spine Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Huntley, Illinois, Life Spine is dedicated to developing innovative, high-quality medical devices that improve the lives of patients suffering from spinal disorders. The company's comprehensive portfolio includes advanced spinal implants, instruments, and procedural solutions for minimally invasive surgery. View source version on Contacts Media Contact: Michael LaydenCroke Fairchild Duarte & Beres LLC(312) 641-0881mlayden@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Scottish Sun
15-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
I watched pitiful Soham killer Ian Huntley sob like a baby after going undercover in jail… how his arrogant mask slipped
David McGee reveals his chilling encounters with the 'slimy and manipulative' double child killer in our exclusive new true crime series TEARS OF A KILLER I watched pitiful Soham killer Ian Huntley sob like a baby after going undercover in jail… how his arrogant mask slipped WHITE as a ghost, overweight and sobbing uncontrollably, this was a side of Ian Huntley the cocky child killer never wanted anyone to see. And as David McGee wheeled the pitiful monster away in a golf buggy, he could barely believe the extraordinary chain of events that had led him to this moment. 11 Soham killer Ian Huntley was convicted of double murder in 2003 Credit: PA:Press Association 11 Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, both 10, were murdered by the monster 11 Huntley's girlfriend Maxine Carr was convicted of perverting the course of justice Credit: Reuters 11 Huntley was held at Woodhill prison while awaiting trial Credit: The Times As part of a shocking investigation into the lax security of Britain's jails, the former investigative reporter had landed a job as an officer at Woodhill Prison in Milton Keynes in early 2003. At the time the all-male Category A jail in Buckinghamshire held 650 prisoners. It had housed hostage taker Charles Bronson, 'Hannibal the Cannibal' killer Robert Maudsley and murderer Michael Sams, who had eight years added to his four life terms after taking a probation officer hostage at Woodhill. And just two weeks into his new role, David found himself left in sole charge of one of Britain's most notorious killers. The previous year, former school caretaker Huntley had lured ten-year-old schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman to their brutal deaths at his home in Soham, Cambs. Languishing in a Woodhill prison cell awaiting his trial for double murder at the Old Bailey, the brute was on suicide watch and needed to be monitored round the clock. Incredibly, that duty fell to David, who grew to know Huntley's "arrogant" and "slimy" character first-hand over a number of intimate encounters. Now, as part of The Sun's new true crime series, Meeting a Monster, which sees those who have met the UK's most infamous criminals reveal their darkest secrets, the former journalist recalls their incredible meetings. One occasion still sticks vividly in his mind: when he was tasked with escorting the killer to a visit with his distraught parents, Kevin and Linda, which saw his egotistical mask well and truly slip. Having driven Huntley to and from the visitors' suite in a golf buggy, David recalls him sobbing hysterically after the dramatic reunion. Soham killer Ian Huntley makes chilling comment during interview with Maxine Carr which helps snare him in Channel 5 thriller Maxine He tells The Sun: 'I was in the room while he spoke with his parents, and although I was not close enough to hear what they were saying, it was clear his parents were very upset too. 'By the time they left they were absolutely wrecked. I put my hand on Huntley's shoulder to steer him back to the buggy. "It was only a distance of about 100 yards back to his cell but I was told he had to be driven both ways. 'He was bawling his eyes out, the meeting had clearly been deeply traumatising for him. "Afterwards it took him quite a while to settle down. It was an astonishing day.' Chilling first meeting Using his real name and passport, which clearly stated he was a journalist, David incredibly still landed the job at Woodhill and worked there undercover for four months. When asked for references, he named his wife and mother - but nobody bothered to check. After some rudimentary training, in the spring of 2003, he was able to smuggle in a digital camera - which he concealed inside a personal organiser. His role involved guarding prisoners and ferrying them to and from court. He had access to keys for handcuffs, cell doors and the escape hatch in prison vans - meaning he could have freed inmates, passed drugs or weapons to them or even attacked them. 11 Huntley and Carr joined the hunt for Holly and Jessica in a brazen bid to cover their tracks Credit: BBC 11 They were tried at the Old Bailey Credit: Sian Francis More than two decades later, David can still remember the moment he first came face-to-face with Huntley, known behind bars as Prisoner JG5778. Left alone with the Soham killer, David snapped a photograph of him slumped in his cell. They spent hours chatting together about football, running, and playing games of chess through the bars of his cell. 'I was shocked and amazed,' said David. 'I remember the day very clearly. I had just a fortnight's experience as a fully fledged warder and here I was doing one of the most vital jobs in the prison. 'When I first saw Huntley in the Health Care Centre where he was based my mouth went dry. 'I could see he was alone at the end of the corridor, his cell was at the end of a row of three and the others were kept empty. 'Huntley and his watcher were doing a crossword. I heard my colleague say a clue out loud: 'It's five letters and ends in stem.' Huntley was bawling his eyes out, the meeting had clearly been deeply traumatising for him David McGee 'I suggested 'brain' and it turned out to be right. I heard Huntley say from his cell: 'He's smart isn't he?' 'He seemed pale, overweight and had bags under his eyes. He was wearing a burgundy sweatshirt, trousers and a pair of trainers. 'I said: 'Hello, how are you doing?' In a soft quiet voice he simply answered: 'All right.' 'We talked about soccer and when he rolled up a cigarette I cadged one off him, which is against prison rules. 'I was involved in a number of conversations with Huntley covering a wide variety of subjects." He adds: "We were close enough to share a chess board, our hands touched as we moved the pieces and I looked closely into his eyes. "That was chilling." 11 Huntley was quizzed by cops after Holly and Jessica went missing Credit: Mirrorpix 11 A police officer stands watch outside Huntley's home during a search Credit: Alamy Guarding Huntley was a popular duty at the jail as warders would get overtime, called Extra Gratuity Payments. Later, on May 7, David found himself guarding the killer alone again, this time for five hours. He said: 'Even though I was a raw rookie, I was on a rota to mind him after I was allowed to place my name on the overtime list of warders needed to man his round the clock suicide watch. "He asked me lots of questions and was actively engaged in conversation. I think he liked me and wanted me to like him. "He wanted to know about my partner, and said he preferred blonde women. He was deluded. I found him quite slimy and I'm sure he believed he would get away with his vile crimes "He was really interested in the fact that I had recently run the London marathon, and said he was very impressed with the time I finished it in. 'I had to bat away his questions because I'd been trained not to engage with the prisoners, but that did not seem to stop him. 'He never mentioned anything about the crimes he was accused of. "It was clear he was trying to be matey because that would have served him well, although there were other moments when he was tetchy and prickly but fortunately there were bars between us.' Prisoner perks Huntley's cell was painted pale yellow and was adorned with cards sent from his fiancée Maxine Carr - some pinned to a notice board and others carefully arranged on the windowsill. Each week he would buy two pouches of Golden Virginia tobacco, Rizla cigarette papers, matches, Rich Tea biscuits and UHT milk. Outside the cell was a TV screen with a Playstation on top of it, and the wires to the handheld console were passed through the bars so Huntley could play video games. He was holed up next to the prison gym and would occasionally ask to use the rowing machine. Looking back on the extraordinary time they spent together, David adds: "I definitely got a sense of his arrogance, he thought he was smarter than everyone else. 'At that time, before his trial, he had not admitted his involvement in killing the girls or shown any remorse. "He was deluded. I found him quite slimy and I'm sure he believed he would get away with his vile crimes. 11 Huntley was on 24 hour suicide watch as he awaited trial Credit: PA:Press Association 11 The spot where the schoolgirls' bodies were found near Lakenheath, Suffolk 11 The boot of Huntley's red Ford Fiesta that he used to transport the bodies Credit: Reuters "He struck me as incredibly manipulative, and I could see how he would be able to intellectually dominate young children or someone he perceived to be intellectually inferior or impressionable - like his partner Maxine. Clearly she was not the brightest spark. 'All I could do was listen to him, and he was more than happy to talk to me. 'Of course I would have loved to ask him questions but I was not there for that, I was only there as a consequence of the poor security." When the photograph David had taken of Huntley in his cell was published, the scandal sparked a Home Office investigation into the shambolic security at the prison. Prison industry groups said underfunding and staff shortages could have led to the apparent security blunder. David faced two charges under the 1952 Prisons Act in relation to the digital camera he had used, which flouted a rule prohibiting the taking in of items to the prison without authorisation. But he was later cleared when Milton Keynes Magistrates Court dismissed the case against him and all charges were dropped.
The Irish Sun
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I watched pitiful Soham killer Ian Huntley sob like a baby after going undercover in jail… how his arrogant mask slipped
WHITE as a ghost, overweight and sobbing uncontrollably, this was a side of Ian Huntley the cocky child killer never wanted anyone to see. And as David McGee wheeled the Advertisement 11 Soham killer Ian Huntley was convicted of double murder in 2003 Credit: PA:Press Association 11 Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, both 10, were murdered by the monster 11 Huntley's girlfriend Maxine Carr was convicted of perverting the course of justice Credit: Reuters 11 Huntley was held at Woodhill prison while awaiting trial Credit: The Times As part of a shocking investigation into the lax security of Britain's jails, the former investigative reporter had landed a job as an officer at Advertisement At the time the all-male Category A jail in Buckinghamshire held 650 prisoners. It had housed hostage taker Charles Bronson, And just two weeks into his new role, David found himself left in sole charge of one of Britain's most notorious killers. The previous year, former school caretaker Huntley had Languishing in a Woodhill prison cell awaiting his trial for double murder at the Old Bailey, the brute was on suicide watch and needed to be monitored round the clock. Advertisement Incredibly, that duty fell to David, who grew to know Huntley's "arrogant" and "slimy" character first-hand over a number of intimate encounters. Now, as part of The Sun's new true crime series, Meeting a Monster, which sees those who have met the UK's most infamous criminals reveal their darkest secrets, the former journalist recalls their incredible meetings. One occasion still sticks vividly in his mind: when he was tasked with escorting the killer to a visit with his distraught parents, Kevin and Linda, which saw his egotistical mask well and truly slip. Having driven Huntley to and from the visitors' suite in a golf buggy, David recalls him sobbing hysterically after the dramatic reunion. Soham killer Ian Huntley makes chilling comment during interview with Maxine Carr which helps snare him in Channel 5 thriller Maxine He tells The Sun: 'I was in the room while he spoke with his parents, and although I was not close enough to hear what they were saying, it was clear his parents were very upset too. Advertisement 'By the time they left they were absolutely wrecked. I put my hand on Huntley's shoulder to steer him back to the buggy. "It was only a distance of about 100 yards back to his cell but I was told he had to be driven both ways. 'He was bawling his eyes out, the meeting had clearly been deeply traumatising for him. "Afterwards it took him quite a while to settle down. It was an astonishing day.' Chilling first meeting Using his real name and passport, which clearly stated he was a journalist, David incredibly still landed the job at Woodhill and worked there undercover for four months. Advertisement When asked for references, he named his wife and mother - but nobody bothered to check. After some rudimentary training, in the spring of 2003, he was able to smuggle in a digital camera - which he concealed inside a personal organiser. His role involved guarding prisoners and ferrying them to and from court. He had access to keys for handcuffs, cell doors and the escape hatch in prison vans - meaning he could have freed inmates, passed drugs or weapons to them or even attacked them. 11 Huntley and Carr joined the hunt for Holly and Jessica in a brazen bid to cover their tracks Credit: BBC Advertisement 11 They were tried at the Old Bailey Credit: Sian Francis More than two decades later, David can still remember the moment he first came face-to-face with Huntley, known behind bars as Prisoner JG5778. Left alone with the Soham killer, David snapped a photograph of him slumped in his cell. They spent hours chatting together about football, running, and playing games of chess through the bars of his cell. 'I was shocked and amazed,' said David. 'I remember the day very clearly. I had just a fortnight's experience as a fully fledged warder and here I was doing one of the most vital jobs in the prison. Advertisement 'When I first saw Huntley in the Health Care Centre where he was based my mouth went dry. 'I could see he was alone at the end of the corridor, his cell was at the end of a row of three and the others were kept empty. 'Huntley and his watcher were doing a crossword. I heard my colleague say a clue out loud: 'It's five letters and ends in stem.' Huntley was bawling his eyes out, the meeting had clearly been deeply traumatising for him David McGee 'I suggested 'brain' and it turned out to be right. I heard Huntley say from his cell: 'He's smart isn't he?' 'He seemed pale, overweight and had bags under his eyes. He was wearing a burgundy sweatshirt, trousers and a pair of trainers. Advertisement 'I said: 'Hello, how are you doing?' In a soft quiet voice he simply answered: 'All right.' 'We talked about soccer and when he rolled up a cigarette I cadged one off him, which is against prison rules. 'I was involved in a number of conversations with Huntley covering a wide variety of subjects." He adds: "We were close enough to share a chess board, our hands touched as we moved the pieces and I looked closely into his eyes. "That was chilling." Advertisement 11 Huntley was quizzed by cops after Holly and Jessica went missing Credit: Mirrorpix 11 A police officer stands watch outside Huntley's home during a search Credit: Alamy Guarding Huntley was a popular duty at the jail as warders would get overtime, called Extra Gratuity Payments. Later, on May 7, David found himself guarding the killer alone again, this time for five hours. He said: 'Even though I was a raw rookie, I was on a rota to mind him after I was allowed to place my name on the overtime list of warders needed to man his round the clock suicide watch. Advertisement "He asked me lots of questions and was actively engaged in conversation. I think he liked me and wanted me to like him. "He wanted to know about my partner, and said he preferred blonde women. He was deluded. I found him quite slimy and I'm sure he believed he would get away with his vile crimes "He was really interested in the fact that I had recently run the London marathon, and said he was very impressed with the time I finished it in. 'I had to bat away his questions because I'd been trained not to engage with the prisoners, but that did not seem to stop him. 'He never mentioned anything about the crimes he was accused of. Advertisement "It was clear he was trying to be matey because that would have served him well, although there were other moments when he was tetchy and prickly but fortunately there were bars between us.' Prisoner perks Huntley's cell was painted pale yellow and was adorned with cards sent from his fiancée Each week he would buy two pouches of Golden Virginia tobacco, Rizla cigarette papers, matches, Rich Tea biscuits and UHT milk. Outside the cell was a TV screen with a Playstation on top of it, and the wires to the handheld console were passed through the bars so Huntley could play video games. He was holed up next to the prison gym and would occasionally ask to use the rowing machine. Advertisement Looking back on the extraordinary time they spent together, David adds: "I definitely got a sense of his arrogance, he thought he was smarter than everyone else. 'At that time, before his trial, he had not admitted his involvement in killing the girls or shown any remorse. "He was deluded. I found him quite slimy and I'm sure he believed he would get away with his vile crimes. 11 Huntley was on 24 hour suicide watch as he awaited trial Credit: PA:Press Association 11 The spot where the schoolgirls' bodies were found near Lakenheath, Suffolk Advertisement 11 The boot of Huntley's red Ford Fiesta that he used to transport the bodies Credit: Reuters "He struck me as incredibly manipulative, and I could see how he would be able to intellectually dominate young children or someone he perceived to be intellectually inferior or impressionable - like his partner Maxine. Clearly she was not the brightest spark. 'All I could do was listen to him, and he was more than happy to talk to me. 'Of course I would have loved to ask him questions but I was not there for that, I was only there as a consequence of the poor security." When the photograph David had taken of Huntley in his cell was published, the scandal sparked a Home Office investigation into the shambolic security at the prison. Advertisement Prison industry groups said underfunding and staff shortages could have led to the apparent security blunder. David faced two charges under the 1952 Prisons Act in relation to the digital camera he had used, which flouted a rule prohibiting the taking in of items to the prison without authorisation. But he was later cleared when Milton Keynes Magistrates Court dismissed the case against him and all charges were dropped. Who are the UK's worst serial killers? THE UK's most prolific serial killer was actually a doctor. Here's a rundown of the worst offenders in the UK. After his death Jonathan Balls was accused of poisoning at least 22 people between 1824 and 1845. Amelia Sach and Annie Walters became known as the Finchley Baby Farmers after killing at least 20 babies between 1900 and 1902. The pair became the first women to be hanged at Holloway Prison on February 3, 1903. William Burke and William Hare killed 16 people and sold their bodies.
National Observer
10-06-2025
- National Observer
Trans Mountain's financial nightmare offers lessons in the reality of pipelines
Every morning, David Huntley checks on the oil tanker traffic outside his home. He can see them cruise up Burrard Inlet from his living room window a few hundred metres above Westridge Marine Terminal, where the Trans Mountain pipeline ends. When I popped by for a visit on June 3, an Aframax called the Tyrrhenian Sea had just docked and was partly visible through a thicket of trees. Last time Huntley saw it here was April 20; since then, it has been to China and back. Huntley, 88, has penetrating green eyes and a shock of white hair. He's lived in this cluttered bungalow at the foot of Burnaby Mountain for 41 years. Tankers have been passing below his patio all that time, though it used to be no more than one a week. Now it's almost once a day — there were 25 in May; 28 in April; 30 in March. 'My job got a lot harder once they finished Trans Mountain,' he told me. Huntley's 'job' is to track the movements of every oil tanker loading up on Canada's West Coast. He doesn't rely on his eyes, but on satellites that track the tankers long after they've sailed out of sight. That data gets transmitted to a number of tanker-monitoring websites, like and which Huntley scours every morning and most nights. He's been doing this for 10 years — ever since he spotted a tanker sailing by without a tugboat — and keeps meticulous handwritten notes. These make it clear that well over half the bitumen piped through Trans Mountain is now going to Asia, mostly China. Huntley's no fan of all this. 'Global warming is causing destruction, injury and death,' he told me. 'Under other circumstances, those responsible would be charged, convicted and jailed.' But putting that little quibble aside, the view from Huntley's patio seems like an advertisement for the new pipelines so many in the oil patch are clamouring for. Tidewater, baby: Trans Mountain has both unleashed a production boost in Alberta and diversified the market, a prairie premier's dream. But is it? Just as Huntley needs satellites to comprehend the tanker's movements, to really understand what Trans Mountain is telling us about the need for new pipelines, you need to look closely at the numbers — in particular, the money. When you do that, the dream becomes a financial nightmare. Huntley, 88, uses websites that track the global movements of oil tankers to maintain his handwritten ledger on the origin and destination of every tanker that fills up with Trans Mountain bitumen. Photo by Arno Kopecky/Canada's National Observer Canadian taxpayers who own Trans Mountain face the prospect of billions in debt. The only real question is, how many billions will that be? writes Arno Kopecky ** 'Trans Mountain is definitely losing money,' says Tom Gunton, a professor of resource and environmental management at Simon Fraser University who has been following Trans Mountain closely for years. Not just a bit of money, either. According to Gunton's calculations, spelled out in a recent report he published for the International Institute for Sustainable Development, Canadian taxpayers stand to lose between $9 billion and $19 billion from Trans Mountain, putting it among the largest oil subsidies in the world. Most Canadians are well aware of how dramatically over-budget Trans Mountain became. From an initial estimate of $5.4 billion, the final price tag came in over $34 billion. Analysts have been asking ever since how the government expects to get that back. 'There's no way anyone will pay the full cost of this pipeline,' Rory Johnston, an energy researcher and founder of the Commodity Context newsletter, told CBC in April 2024, when construction was completed. 'You're going to need to take a haircut of at least 50 per cent of this pipeline.' So far, the government has avoided that haircut by not selling. We own the asset and the debt, as income from the project starts to trickle in. What the average voter may not appreciate, though, is just how meager that trickle is, and why: the oil companies who are now shipping their product on Trans Mountain were given a sweetheart deal based on that initial price estimate. Oil producers pay a per-barrel toll to pipeline companies. Just like Bell charging for data that passes through its cell towers, the tolls are how the pipeline company recovers its construction and operation costs, plus the return on investment. The toll rate is usually a function of the project's cost — at least that's how it works in the private sector. But Trans Mountain is a Crown corporation owned by taxpayers and built with political rather than economic imperatives in mind. Such was our government's zeal to make it operational that Trans Mountain locked in its customers' toll rates years before the project's full cost came into view. As a result, oil producers are paying just over $11 per barrel to use Trans Mountain. That's roughly half of what would be required just to break even, leaving the Canadian taxpayers who own Trans Mountain with the prospect of billions in debt. The only real question is, how many billions will that be? Close-up view of the Trans Alaskan Pipeline, viewpoint from Delta Junction Viewpoint along the Richardson Highway. Photo by Shutterstock 'There's nowhere else in the world where the taxpayers are subsidizing the transportation costs of the oil sector,' Gunton notes. 'It just doesn't make any sense. They're a profitable industry, and historically they paid for their own transportation to market, as they should. So Trans Mountain is unprecedented — unprecedented in building a project where half the capital costs are not even included in the rate base for determining tolls.' Astonishingly, the deal isn't even that great for oil producers. 'Even with the subsidized tolls on the pipeline, it actually costs more to ship on Trans Mountain over to China than it does shipping on Enbridge's system down to the Gulf,' Gunton says. That helps explain why the pipeline still isn't operating at capacity. One year after it started operating, the pipeline is just over 80 per cent full; the only companies using it are the ones who signed shipping contracts before construction began. Now those companies are trying to get the toll lowered further still — Trans Mountain and its clients are locked in a complex dispute currently before the Canada Energy Regulator (CER), though a decision in the years-long case isn't expected before 2026. In response to a query about whether the Crown corporation expects to recoup the $34.5 billion it spent on the project, and how long that could take based on current toll rates, a spokesperson for Trans Mountain wrote by email: 'The Trans Mountain pipeline system is a long-life asset. The tolls for service on the pipeline are approved by the CER and provide for a return (on) the invested capital over the life of the asset.' Perhaps worst of all, Trans Mountain has failed to alleviate the discount on Canadian heavy oil that was such a big reason for its construction: Alberta bitumen sells for less in American markets than American oil, and leaders in the oil patch along with prairie premiers have long claimed this is because Canadians only have one buyer. But the discount actually got worse in the months immediately after Trans Mountain started operating; one year later, it remains worse than it was in 2020. That's not because we need more pipelines. It's because bitumen is an inferior quality of oil, costing more to refine. Americans aren't alone in paying less for it. 'China is not going to pay a premium for oil over the US,' Gunton says, 'and if they do, then the Middle East is going to ship more oil there, and other producers will ship more oil to China to smooth out those prices. You do get short-term bottlenecks here and there, but over time the price of oil is essentially equalized in all the destination markets, because people move oil around by tanker to take advantage of these price differences. And by doing that, they smooth them out.' In the meantime, oil producers looking for ways to transport their product won't need a new pipeline any time soon. On top of Trans Mountain's spare capacity, Enbridge is about to add two new pipelines' worth of transport capacity to its existing grid, simply by improving efficiency. At an Investor Day presentation in March, Colin Gruendig, Enbridge's executive vice president and president of liquid pipelines, announced plans for one million additional barrels per day of capacity by 2035 — twice the Trans Mountain expansion's volume, in less time than TMX took to build. *** Granted, none of Enbridge's pipelines lead to an ocean. But even that Trans Mountain advantage may prove fleeting, with Chinese demand for oil set to begin dropping soon. China is leading the world's energy transition, with over half its vehicle sales already in EVs, and many of its neighbours are following suit. 'The Asian [oil] market is not going to grow,' Gunton says, adding that Canadian bitumen — which costs a lot to produce, and yet more to refine — must compete with cheap Middle Eastern oil for those dwindling Asian markets. 'Right now, the Middle East has about five million barrels of unused capacity just sitting there that they can turn on tomorrow, if they want, at very low cost. So, in this environment, I don't think any rational investor is going to bet on building a major new pipeline.' No businesses are either. For all the talk from premiers like Danielle Smith, there isn't a single proposal from a company that actually builds pipelines to do so today. So if the best-case scenario for a new pipeline is so bleak, why are so many in the oil patch clamouring for one? 'I think they see this as an opportunity to again get the government to subsidize transportation costs for them,' says Tom Gunton. 'Because the only way you can build a new pipeline is if the government significantly subsidizes it.' British Columbians, at least, can take some solace in the fact that our provincial government has vocally opposed any talk of building new oil pipelines to the West Coast (although the province does seem open to dredging Burrard Inlet to expand Trans Mountain's tanker capacity). But Carney is still playing footsie with the rest of Canada's premiers on this subject. And in the prime minister's eagerness to turn Canada into an 'energy superpower' by advancing major projects through Bill C-5 (the 'One Canadian Economy Act' now making its way through parliament), the oil patch clearly smells an opportunity — not just for more federal subsidies, but less regulation too. *** 'Any new pipeline project would require careful consideration and real provincial and federal legislative change,' wrote an Enbridge spokesperson in reply to my query about whether Canada's biggest pipeline company saw a business case for building a new pipeline anywhere in Canada right now. 'This includes identifying energy projects as being in the national interest, implementing globally competitive energy and carbon policies, simplifying regulation, reducing regulatory timelines and a robust Indigenous loan guarantee program.' Most of that answer is contained in two words — 'simplifying regulation' — which is exactly what the One Canadian Economy Act proposes to do. Unfortunately for this approach, it's already been tried. Under Stephen Harper's Conservative government, the approval process for pipelines and other major projects was dramatically streamlined, with environmental assessment and other regulations rolled into a one-stop shop called the Joint Review Panel. That JRP approved the Northern Gateway Pipeline proposal, as well as the Trans Mountain expansion, only to have both decisions overturned by a federal court. The Northern Gateway never recovered, in part because Indigenous opposition and the coastal environment made that project so much more tenuous. Trans Mountain only survived by scrambling to conduct the environmental assessment it hoped to skip (the JRP had initially decided against considering the environmental impacts of a seven-fold increase in tanker traffic; it never did consider climate impacts of the increased oil production). Ultimately, the supposed streamlining of the JRP wound up delaying construction instead, thus contributing to Trans Mountain's massive cost overruns. 'Harper was like, 'our regulatory system has too much red tape, we're not getting decisions fast enough, and we want to be an energy superpower,'' recalls Eugene Kung, a lawyer with West Coast Environmental Law who has been involved in court battles with both Northern Gateway and Trans Mountain. 'Tell me if that sounds familiar.'
