Heiltsuk Horizon welcomes Public Works' response to Trade Tribunal determination

BELLA BELLA, BC, Jan. 24, 2019 /CNW/ -  Heiltsuk Horizon Maritime Services Limited (Heiltsuk Horizon) welcomes the Department of Public Works and Government Services (PWGSC) decision to follow the recommendations of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT).  In a letter to CITT Tuesday, PWGSC confirmed its intent to re-evaluate bids for the supply of two emergency towing vessels for the protection of Canada's West Coast.

"We are pleased that Public Works has responded to our complaint with the bid process and plans to review the towing capacity of vessels proposed in all bids submitted," said Chief Councillor Marilyn Slett of the Heiltsuk Nation, a majority partner in Heiltsuk Horizon Maritime Services Limited. "We're confident with the new, state of the art vessels we've submitted, and we want to ensure that the right emergency response vessels are in place to protect the vital coastal economies and fragile, sensitive ecosystems of British Columbia's Coast."

Heiltsuk Horizon, which last year filed a complaint about the review process, was notified January 2 of CITT's determination that Public Works had deviated from its procurement process. The complaint contended that the winning bidder's vessels, put into service on the BC coast last fall, did not meet the mandatory emergency towing power requirements.

"Together, with our partners, the Heiltsuk Nation, we are hopeful that today's statement from Public Works represents a renewed commitment to Canada's Oceans Protection Plan," said, Steven Widmeyer, Chief Operating Officer, Horizon Maritime Services Limited. "Like all Canadians, we want to ensure that our country's West Coast is properly resourced, to prevent and respond to, marine incidents and emergencies."

Hereditary Chief Harvey Humchitt was disappointed that the PWGSC failed to acknowledge in its response the Heiltsuk First Nation, majority shareholder in Heiltsuk Horizon. Humchitt re-iterated "Heiltsuk Horizon has the right vessels and the right West Coast team to keep our coastlines safe. It is time for Haitcistut ? time for Canada to turn things around and make things right."

Heiltsuk Horizon Maritime Services Limited is a partnership that brings together the millennia-old stewardship and seafaring heritage of the Heiltsuk Nation with the offshore and marine industry expertise of Horizon Maritime. This partnership came together to supply government with two world-class emergency towing vessels and to build regional incident prevention and emergency response capacity through the Indigenous Marine Response Centre (IMRC). Both partners are committed to pursuing additional opportunities to protect our coastal marine environment as we look to build a sustainable future together. www.heiltsukhorizon.ca

The Canadian International Trade Tribunal, or CITT, provides Canadian international businesses with access to fair, transparent, and timely processes for the investigation of trade remedy cases and complaints concerning federal government procurement and for the adjudication of appeals on customs and excise matters. At the request of the Government, the CITT provides advice on Tariff, trade, commercial, and economic matters. www.citt.gc.ca

SOURCE Heiltsuk Horizon