B2 TheChronicle Herald BUSINESS Wednesday,February20, 2019 Counsel appointed to represent Quadriga users ANDREA GUNN millions lost in cash and crypto- creditors have been congregating Airey is among many that pany and the court appointed OTTAWA BUREAU currency when the company’s on online forums, mainly Reddit believe something criminal is at monitor attempted to locate the founder and CEO died suddenly and Twitter. play, and is organizing the protest funds. [email protected] in December. “There are more than 100,000 to bring attention to the need for But some blockchain analysts @notandrea Three teams of lawyers had affected users. They range from an investigation. have reported little evidence of initially made apitch to represent small creditors who are owed Airey said he’s concerned that the cold wallets the company Nova Scotia Supreme Court creditors, but Wood’s decision $100, to others who are owed the court is not sufficiently claims are inaccessible, while Justice Michael Wood has ap- identified the selected council as many millions. Privacy is agreat equipped to deal with such a others have been trying to find pointed two law firms to repres- the best positioned for the job. concern and many users do not highly technical case. evidence of possible criminal ent some 115,000 users owed $250 “Both the local and national wish to be publicly identified in “The judge didn’t even know activity on the blockchain that can million by Canadian cryptocur- firms have extensive insolvency any fashion,” Wood wrote. what Reddit was, let alone the be tied to Quadriga’s wallets — rency exchange QuadrigaCX. and CCAA (Companies’ Creditors As legal teams sort through the blockchain,” Airey added. which is difficult due to it being In adecision posted on Tues- Arrangement Act) experience. case, cryptocurrency enthusiasts Quadriga, once the largest encrypted and decentralized. day, Justice Wood gave the green Miller Thompson has additional and former QuadrigaCX users crypto exchange in Canada, is Moreover, just one day after light to Miller Thompson of depth in certain areas, including will stage aprotest in Halifax, seeking creditor protection fol- Quadriga was granted astay by Toronto to act as lead counsel and larger CCAA proceedings and coinciding with the March 5 lowing the sudden death if CEO the courts, Ernst and Young re- Halifax firm Cox &Palmer to act cryptocurrency,” Wood’s decision proceedings. They are calling for and founder, Gerald Cotten, in ported that Quadriga inadvert- as local counsel representing reads. “The relationship between acriminal investigation and ur- December. Cotten, 30, died due to ently transferred $468,675 of the creditors before the Nova Scotia the two firms has been thought ging the courts to not grant cred- complications of Crohn’s disease $902,743 it was holding in hot Supreme Court in upcoming out carefully with aview to min- itor protection. while honeymooning in India. wallets into those inaccessible hearings scheduled for Feb. 22 imizing costs.” While Fredericton-based Mitch Cotten’s widow claims her cold wallets. and March 5. Wood’s decision also notes that Airey did not lose any digital husband was the only person with There have also been public The law firms selected will the law firms have proposed a assets when the Quadriga ex- the password to access to $190 allegations about possible past work closely with affected Quad- communication strategy that change went down last month, million in cryptocurrency stored criminal involvement of some of rigaCX users scattered across the includes some presence in social he’s been digging into the widely in cold wallets on his laptop. On Quadriga’s key players, as well as countryTheand Halifaxaround Heraldthe world, Limitedas media - 02/20/2019and online discussionCopy Reducedpublicized to 78%case fromalong originalwith other to fit letterFeb. page5the court granted the com- suspicions surroundingPage : B02the activ- acourt-appointed monitor Ernst groups in order to reach user users on Reddit over the last pany a30-day stay on any pro- ities of Cotten’s widow Jennifer and Young continues to search for group members —anonymous month. ceedings against it while the com- Kathleen Margaret Robertson. Afireboat is needed for Halifax port SHIPPING NEWS PETERZIOBROWSKI [email protected] @hfxshippingnews Peter Ziobrowski has been reporting on the comings and goings in Halifax Harbour online since 2008. Those who follow Halifax coun- cil’s budget process will note an interesting line item in the capital budget —the fire department is looking for afireboat. In his presentation to council, Fire Chief Ken Stubbing indicated that the current fireboat had exceeded its serviceable life, and doesn’t meet the department’s needs. The current boat is a rid\gid-hull inflatable, with an added fire pump and monitor. It is also fully open, without acabin, so the crew is exposed to the elements. The chief suggested acquiring a boat like the one in use in Van- couver and Victoria. That boat is aFireStorm 40, constructed by Metalcraft Marine of Kingston, Ont. The boat has an enclosed cabin and can be manufactured to keep the cabin atmosphere clean. Halifax fire boat Atlantic Willow moves into position to escortQueen Mary2out of Halifax harbour in 2010. FILE Several local builders would be capable of producing the design, case could be made for Ottawa to in Halifax was when the navy’s, Board investigated that incident, John’s, N.L., for the start of a$10 or asimilar vessel. finance the acquisition of avessel now surplus boat, Firebird, was which found deficiencies in small million work period. The work is Aport city like Halifax needs under the National Trade Cor- used to fight afire on board the craft stability standards, which required to keep the ship in oper- an on-water firefighting capabil- ridors Fund. Caruso. The Caruso was the were updated by Transport ation another five years. ity. Increased development on the The trade corridors fund was former CCGS Sir Charles Tupper, Canada in 2009. • The coast guard is looking to waterfront could present prob- set up by the federal government and it caught fire in Dartmouth • The Yantain Express, the procure alight icebreaker for use lems for firefighters if they can to make improvements to the Cove in 2008. Firebird was re- container ship that caught fire in the Great Lakes and St. only access astructure from the flow of goods and people within tired by the navy at the end of while it was bound for Halifax, Lawrence River. The vessel land side. Additionally, afireboat Canada, increase flow of trade in 2014 and was sold as surplus. has been surveyed and the general would also tend to navigational can provide areliable water sup- to and out of Canada, and help Firebird also responded to the fire average and salvage securities aids and search and rescue duties. ply should afire break out on one the transportation system respond aboard the container ship Kitano have been announced. The sal- The CCGS Earl Grey, based in of the harbour islands —McNabs, to climate change. Certainly fire in 2001. vage security was set at 32.5 per Halifax, is one variation of light Lawlor and Georges. presents arisk to the flow of In 2008 Halifax attempted to cent of cargo value, and the gen- icebreaker currently in use. The Afireboat would also prove goods through the port, and in- buy afireboat. The department eral average security was set at 28 government is looking to procure invaluable in mitigating risks creased risk of wildfire due to ordered a24-foot boat from Har- per cent of cargo value. Once the an existing vessel, and modify it presented by the port. Van- climate change on the harbours, bour Guard Boats in California, salvage claim is arbitrated, and the to suit, with the actual contract couver’s fireboats have responded islands could be valid justifica- much to the chagrin of the local general average loss adjusted, award for the winter 2020-21 to incidents aboard ships at an- tions for funding under the pro- boat building industry. That boat cargo owners will be billed or time frame. chor and at terminals on land. gram. capsized during training before refunded the difference. Disclosure: Peter Ziobrowski is a With port-related risks as a The last time Ican recall a the city accepted delivery of the • The CCGS Hudson sailed volunteer with the Halifax primary reason for afireboat, a fireboat being used to fight afire craft. The Transportation Safety Saturday for New Dock in St Regional Fire &Emergency. LNG developer signs agreement Ultra Electronics gets with Indigenous group, unions piece of warships contract THE CHRONICLE HERALD for wide-area underwater battle- THE CANADIAN PRESS in Nova Scotia. communities and for all Nova space surveillance to meet Baguley stated that his com- Scotians.” Ultra Electronics Maritime Sys- Canada’s future strategic needs, Aproposed liquefied natural gas pany looks forward to the con- The company also says its pro- tems of Dartmouth has signed a according to an Ultra Electronics project says it has signed agree- tinuing participation of the As- ject labour agreement with the “significant sub-contract” with news release Tuesday. ments with the Assembly of Nova sembly throughout the develop- unions ensures astable work Lockheed Martin Canada as part Bernard Mills, president of ScotiaCopyrightMi’kmaq (c)2019Chiefs, Thethe HalifaxNova Heraldment Limitedof 02/20/2019its LNG facility. “Our environment for the development of Canada’s combat ship team, Ultra Electronics Maritime Sys- ScotiaFebruaryConstruction 20, 2019Labour 8:55 amRela- (GMT +4:00)collective work on this project, of its facility. selected as the winning bid for the tems, statedPoweredthe byanti TECNAVIAsubmarine tions Association, and unions in and commitment to environ- It says the labour agreement Canadian Surface Combatant warfare work will generate high- Cape Breton.