Former Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland will again appear before a parliamentary committee after new emails suggest her department knew weeks in advance that BC Ferries planned to purchase four vessels from a Chinese state-owned shipyard using taxpayer dollars.

Emails exchanged in late April between BC Ferries president Nicolas Jimenez and Transport Canada deputy minister Arun Thangaraj reportedly detailed plans to contract a Chinese shipyard for new ferries, according to internal documents obtained by the Globe and Mail.

Freeland expressed dismay after BC Ferries announced its June procurement plan, despite her department's knowledge of it since at least April. She resigned as Transport Minister on Tuesday for the role of Special Envoy to Ukraine.

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The Transport Ministry was informed in mid-April that the BC Ferries shipbuilding contract would go to a CCP-owned company.
Right in the middle of the Liberals' "Elbows Up" re-election campaign. pic.twitter.com/DmdPxPa8FB

— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 1, 2025

Records suggest Freeland knew about the BC Ferries deal 1.5 months before her public denial. Jimenez's email also challenged Freeland's claim about federal funding, citing Ottawa's support for Maritimes ferries, also built at the same Chinese shipyard.

B.C. Premier David Eby criticized the federal government on September 18 for the disparity in ferry funding, calling it "bizarre" that BC Ferries received a scrutinized loan while Eastern Canadian ferries were fully funded.

Bloc Québécois MP Xavier Barsalou-Duval introduced a motion for Freeland to reappear before the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities following revelations the public was misled about the government's prior knowledge of the contract. He supported a previous Conservative motion for access to confidential records by September 12.

On August 1, a committee heard testimony from Freeland, Jimenez, CIB CEO Ehren Cory, and Housing Minister Gregor Robertson. A follow-up requests public disclosure of committee documents on ferry procurement and three more hearings with shipyards, industry experts, and Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree.

Freeland refuses to commit to asking the cabinet to stop the loan used to purchase BC ferries from a CCP-owned shipbuilder.

She's disappointed, tho. Oh ok. Thanks. I guess that's settled. pic.twitter.com/jfcXEeqoU1

— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 1, 2025

Liberal MPs initially argued that Freeland's reappearance was unnecessary, citing her previous testimony, but conceded soon after, claiming Conservatives unfairly politicized the CIB loan to BC Ferries.

Freeland expressed concern on August 1 over the BC Ferries procurement, but fell short of condemning Chinese outsourcing. No Canadian bids were received after a five-year process.

The Infrastructure Bank quietly approved the loan on March 28; it formalized support nearly three months later but did not publicly name the shipbuilder. Freeland later expressed strong disapproval of the contract in a strongly worded letter.

On June 26, the Canada Infrastructure Bank approved a $1.1 billion loan for four ships from China’s state-run Weihai Shipyards; cabinet members claimed ignorance until the announcement.

BC CPC MP @DanAlbas asks Transport Minister Freeland how she can be all "Elbows Up" while backstopping a loan to buy ferries from a CCP-owned shipbuilder over Canadian jobs.

No real answers. Just time wasting pic.twitter.com/KXlNh7IAAK

— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 1, 2025

Conservative MP Dan Albas sought another hearing, citing emails suggesting Transport Canada's awareness of a Chinese shipyard building the ships. Albas sponsored the original motion for confidential information.

“It’s a damning indictment,” he said, “because Transport Canada was made aware six weeks before that announcement, and they did nothing to protect Canadian jobs.”

“This raises a number of questions about former minister Chrystia Freeland’s abrupt resignation and ... blows a hole in her narrative that she wanted BC Ferries to buy Canadian and was dismayed and upset about it.”

Conservatives advocate canceling the China BC Ferries deal due to tariffs, urging Canadian-based work.