Paper Excellence is currently facing a parliamentary investigation into its corporate structure and business ties
Senior members of Nova Scotia’s government knew B.C. forestry giant Paper Excellence was ultimately controlled by a Chinese-Indonesian conglomerate accused of widespread deforestation and human rights abuses, documents show.
Eventually, Wijaya was able to “proceed alone, without anything more than normal and appropriate business relationships,” he added. The document, which was flagged in a social media post by a local fisherman, comes following a months-long investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists — including media partners Glacier Media, the CBC, the Halifax Examiner, Le Monde and Radio France — into the company’s overseas ties.
On Tuesday, Jean-François Guillot, CEO of Paper Excellence's French operations and two mills in Canada, told the MPs those emails showed an unremarkable relationship between Paper Excellence’s French operations and APP in its role as a buyer. According to the ICIJ investigation, the leaked emails go much further, suggesting a revolving door of employees working between Paper Excellence’s Richmond offices and APP’s towering headquarters in Shanghai, China.
B.C. government briefed that capital spending decisions were made in 'Indonesia' Following the publication of its investigation with the ICIJ, Glacier Media received a briefing note prepared for senior B.C. government officials ahead of a meeting with Paper Excellence lobbyists. The document, which dates to December 2020, shows the government of the day knew major capital spending decisions were being made by “Indonesia.
“It is well known that Jackson Wijaya, the ultimate and sole owner of Paper Excellence, is an Indonesian national. Any reference to Indonesia by [Paper Excellence] employees in Canada is likely a reference to him,” wrote Croteau in an email. In its examination of Paper Excellence’s properties, the ICIJ investigation turned up several mortgages in B.C. and Saskatchewan with a curious link to the Chinese state.
The two banks have worked with the China Development Bank in the past. In 2015, Mandiri and BNI were among three Indonesian banks used to park a US$3-billion investment from the China Development Bank.
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