Landlubbing unionists and politicos weren't the only ones schmoozing at Industry Minister David Emerson's fundraiser. A flotilla of shipping industry representatives purchased a 10-seat table at the event, headed by International Shipowners Association of Canada president Wilfred Vacheresse. The reason for their attendance: the delegation planned on speaking to the minister about Bill C-15. That bill, which was passed in May, includes a number of offenses meant to clamp down on marine polluters. But the industry wants to change the strict liability nature of those offenses. A strict liability offense means once the prosection has proven a law has been broken, there is no need to prove intent to secure a conviction. Instead, to avoid one, the accused most show he acted with due diligence prior to the offense occuring.

Those at the shipping industry table included International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada president Tom Dufresne, Shipyard General Workers Federation of British Columbia president George MacPherson, British Columbia Ferry, Marine Workers Union president Jackie Miller, Fairmont Shipping Ltd. president Robert Ho, and representatives from the International Shipowners Alliance of Canada, International Transportation Workers' Federation and British Columbia Ferry Services Inc.