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BC Government has abandoned forestry industry
May 01, 2008Kamloops Daily News
The Campbell government has abandoned B.C.’s forest industry and forest-dependent communities in their hour of need, NDP Leader Carole James said Wednesday.
In Kamloops to meet with United Steelworker (USW) representatives from around the province, James supported the union’s position that Forest Minister Rich Coleman should resign over the government’s failure to respond to the crisis.
“When you lose a mill you lose good-paying jobs,” James told local media after the meeting.
“The frustration I’m hearing today, as well as in the rest of the province, is over the premier taking a hands-off approach. It’s absolutely appalling the government has taken this kind of approach.”
Close to 50 mills have closed across B.C. since 2000 with many of the recent closures blamed on the rise in value of the Canadian dollar and a slump in the U.S. economy.
However, James laid blame squarely on the provincial government and its policies. She said policies such as that which permits raw-log exports are only compounding the crisis.
“I don’t know what this government can do to make the crisis worse in the industry,” she said.
B.C. needs a new forest tenure policy that links harvesting rights to surrounding communities, James said. She also said the province should:
• Establish a forest commission similar to that which has the authority to regulate the oil and gas industries.
• Invest more in silviculture and training for displaced forest workers.
• Encourage secondary manufacturing and new forest-based industries such as biofuel.
In the case of bio-energy, “We’re hearing a lot of talk, little action,” James said.
If forest tenure or regulation are challenged by the U.S. through the Softwood Lumber Agreement, so be it.
“If we get challenged, we have to face those challenges. The worst thing that can happen is what we have now.”
Coleman said the NDP hasn’t done its homework.
“The call for my resignation is typical in many ways of the NDP because it shows a complete lack of understanding in the marketplace,” Coleman said.
The province is investing $171 million — more than ever before — in its Forests For Tomorrow program in response to fire and pine beetle losses, he noted. Companies, not the government, are responsible for replanting every tree they cut, he argued.
As well will soon launch its Community Development Trust, which will provide bridging employment to retirement for displaced forest workers.
Coleman also rejected the claim that the crisis is related to forest tenure policy.
“The reality is that the log has got to go to the highest and best use, and you can’t draw a circle around places.”
U.S. home sales have plummeted to their lowest level in 16 years, new construction has dropped by two-thirds, and the Canadian dollar has not helped, he said.
“This is the perfect storm; executives and CEOs in the industry say they’ve never faced this before,” he added.
Union representatives who met in Kamloops spoke of their frustration over what they see as a lack of concern in Victoria.
“We’re looking for some support,” said Dave Welder, business agent for Steelworkers Local 1-423 in Kelowna. “We’re looking for help from government to help us get back to work. At least the leader of the NDP is willing to talk.”
Seventy-five per cent of workers in Grand Forks are out of work, he noted.
Alf Wilkins of USW Local 1-424 in Mackenzie pointed to another 500 jobs lost in his community recently. He agreed with James that the federal government promises but does not deliver mountain pine beetle funding.
“There’s been $2 million promised three times,” Wilkins said. “Six months later they announce the same money and it doesn’t come.
“The only thing they do is extend a runway somewhere so that people can get to the ski hills more quickly,” he added, a reference to economic development funding here that supported improvements to Kamloops Airport.
In Kamloops to meet with United Steelworker (USW) representatives from around the province, James supported the union’s position that Forest Minister Rich Coleman should resign over the government’s failure to respond to the crisis.
“When you lose a mill you lose good-paying jobs,” James told local media after the meeting.
“The frustration I’m hearing today, as well as in the rest of the province, is over the premier taking a hands-off approach. It’s absolutely appalling the government has taken this kind of approach.”
Close to 50 mills have closed across B.C. since 2000 with many of the recent closures blamed on the rise in value of the Canadian dollar and a slump in the U.S. economy.
However, James laid blame squarely on the provincial government and its policies. She said policies such as that which permits raw-log exports are only compounding the crisis.
“I don’t know what this government can do to make the crisis worse in the industry,” she said.
B.C. needs a new forest tenure policy that links harvesting rights to surrounding communities, James said. She also said the province should:
• Establish a forest commission similar to that which has the authority to regulate the oil and gas industries.
• Invest more in silviculture and training for displaced forest workers.
• Encourage secondary manufacturing and new forest-based industries such as biofuel.
In the case of bio-energy, “We’re hearing a lot of talk, little action,” James said.
If forest tenure or regulation are challenged by the U.S. through the Softwood Lumber Agreement, so be it.
“If we get challenged, we have to face those challenges. The worst thing that can happen is what we have now.”
Coleman said the NDP hasn’t done its homework.
“The call for my resignation is typical in many ways of the NDP because it shows a complete lack of understanding in the marketplace,” Coleman said.
The province is investing $171 million — more than ever before — in its Forests For Tomorrow program in response to fire and pine beetle losses, he noted. Companies, not the government, are responsible for replanting every tree they cut, he argued.
As well will soon launch its Community Development Trust, which will provide bridging employment to retirement for displaced forest workers.
Coleman also rejected the claim that the crisis is related to forest tenure policy.
“The reality is that the log has got to go to the highest and best use, and you can’t draw a circle around places.”
U.S. home sales have plummeted to their lowest level in 16 years, new construction has dropped by two-thirds, and the Canadian dollar has not helped, he said.
“This is the perfect storm; executives and CEOs in the industry say they’ve never faced this before,” he added.
Union representatives who met in Kamloops spoke of their frustration over what they see as a lack of concern in Victoria.
“We’re looking for some support,” said Dave Welder, business agent for Steelworkers Local 1-423 in Kelowna. “We’re looking for help from government to help us get back to work. At least the leader of the NDP is willing to talk.”
Seventy-five per cent of workers in Grand Forks are out of work, he noted.
Alf Wilkins of USW Local 1-424 in Mackenzie pointed to another 500 jobs lost in his community recently. He agreed with James that the federal government promises but does not deliver mountain pine beetle funding.
“There’s been $2 million promised three times,” Wilkins said. “Six months later they announce the same money and it doesn’t come.
“The only thing they do is extend a runway somewhere so that people can get to the ski hills more quickly,” he added, a reference to economic development funding here that supported improvements to Kamloops Airport.
