Posts with the Suez Canal tag

Barris Beat

From small boats, mighty deeds

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment
Suez Canal Authority tugboats free wedged container ship. cbc.ca

You could almost feel the jubilation from there to here. Video flooded on-air newscasts and social media late Monday. It was nighttime in the Middle East, but the lights on the canal made it seem like day. And the cacophony of maritime whistles and horns blowing seemed deafening. Container ship horns, police boat horns and especially the horns of the Egyptian tugboats on the Suez Canal leapt from every video I watched. One videographer shot images of a jubilant tugboat crew.

“Mashhour is number one!” the sailors shouted.

Mashhour is the name of the dredging vessel that helped clear the tons of sand at the bow and stern of the massive container ship MV Ever Given, that was wedged sideways in the Suez Canal for nearly a week. (more…)

Barris Beat

Culture of daring

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment
As a diplomat in the 1950s, Lester Pearson earned the Nobel Peace Prize for a unique response to conflict.

On Feb. 24, after he learned that Teck Resources Ltd. had decided to withdraw its application to build a multi-billion-dollar oil-sands development project in northern Alberta, the premier of that province stepped to a microphone in Edmonton to express his displeasure with Ottawa.

“The federal government’s inability … let us down,” Jason Kenney told the audience. Then, the premier continued with an oft-employed threat he’s used lately, that he will now seek “greater autonomy for Alberta (using) every tool available.” (more…)