Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

Forestry Critic and MLA John Rustad says it’s ‘unacceptable’ that municipal leaders and regional districts had to try and handle forestry crisis alone, without leadership from the provincial government


After failing to take any meaningful action to address the forestry crisis, John Horgan and the NDP are only now getting around to finally asking the federal government for support, something the BC Liberals called for months ago.

“There are steps that the provincial government should have taken months ago, including asking for immediate federal assistance,” says BC Liberal forestry critic and Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad.

“My concern is that the province waited until ten weeks before a federal election before it finally decided to act. Layoffs and mill shutdowns have been happening for months and the provincial government has done nothing to help workers and their families except ask Ottawa for help at the very last minute.”

Calls for action have been coming from all over – INCLUDING the United Way.



Excerpt from a letter, to the BC
government, by the United Way
A month ago, the United Way wrote to NDP Premier John Horgan with an urgent appeal for $3 million to help small communities deal with mill shutdowns.

Twenty-one mayors in communities devastated by the crisis also wrote directly to the federal government, with an appeal for assistance, after expressing their frustration with a lack of action on the part of John Horgan and the NDP.

“The fact that municipal leaders and regional districts had to try and handle this crisis alone without any leadership from the provincial government is unacceptable,” Rustad adds.

“We’ve had a very light wildfire season and Forests Minister Doug Donaldson should have been at the forefront of this crisis, instead he’s done nothing.”

In June the BC Liberals released a five-point action plan that included engaging the federal government.

Stated Nechako Lake MLA Rustad, “The NDP has only just acted on one aspect of the BC Liberal five-point action plan".

“Much more needs to be done to stem further job loss”, Rustad concluded.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BC cannot regulate, redesign, and reinterpret its way to a stable forestry sector. Communities need clear rules, predictable timelines, and accountability for results.

Photo credit:  Atli Resources LP   BC’s Forestry Crisis Continues with Closure of Beaver Cove Chip Facility   As industry leaders, Indigenous partners, and contractors gather this week at the BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, the gap between government rhetoric and reality could not be clearer. Just hours after the Eby government once again touted reconciliation, certainty, and economic opportunity under DRIPA, Atli Chip Ltd, a company wholly owned by the ’Na̱mg̱is First Nation, announced it is managing the orderly closure of its Beaver Cove chip facility. The closure comes despite public tax dollars, repeated government announcements, and assurances that new policy frameworks would stabilize forestry employment and create long-term opportunity in rural and coastal British Columbia. “British Columbians are being told one story, while communities are living another,” said Ward Stamer, Critic for Forests. “This closure makes it clear that announcement...
Post a Comment
Read more

Stamer: Hope for Forestry Completely Shattered After Another Provincial Review Driven by DRIPA

IMAGE CREDIT:  Provincial Forestry Advisory Council Conservative Critic for Forests Ward Stamer says the final report from the Provincial Forestry Advisory Council confirms the worst fears of forestry workers and communities; instead of addressing the real issues driving mill closures and job losses, the NDP has produced a report that ignores industry realities and doubles down on governance restructuring. Despite years of warnings from forestry workers, contractors, and industry organizations about permitting delays, regulatory costs, fibre access, and the failure of BC Timber Sales, the PFAC report offers no urgency, no timelines, and no concrete action to stop the ongoing decline of the sector. “ This report completely shatters any remaining hope that the government is serious about saving forestry ,” said Stamer.  “ We didn’t need another study to tell us what industry has been saying for years. While mills close and workers lose their livelihoods, the NDP is focused on re...
Post a Comment
Read more

FORSETH – My question is, ‘How do we decide who is blue enough to be called a Conservative?’

How do we decide who’s blue enough to be a Conservative? AS OF TODAY (Friday January 30 th ), there are now eight individuals who have put their names forward to lead the Conservative Party of British Columbia. Having been involved with BC’s Conservatives since 2010, and having seen MANY ups and downs, having 8 people say “I want to lead the party” is to me, an incredible turn-around from the past. Sadly, however, it seems that our party cannot seem to shake what I, and others, call a purity test of ‘what is a Conservative’. And that seems to have already come to the forefront of the campaign by a couple of candidates. Let me just say as a Conservative Party of BC member, and as someone active in the party, that frustrates me to no end. Conservatives, more than any other political philosophy or belief, at least to me, seems to have the widest and broadest spectrum of ideals.   For the most part, they are anchored by these central thoughts --- smaller and less intru...
1 comment
Read more

Labels

Show more