Thoughts on BC Politics and More

The BC government has turned down a petition to investigate Canada’s largest forestry company at a time when a federal probe into the firm faces the prospect of total collapse. The company has rapidly expanded its footprint in recent years, buying up several Canadian public forestry companies—including Domtar and Resolute Forest Products—in multibillion-dollar deals that gave them control of more than 22 million hectares of forest ... ... Wijaya’s expanded control over the two companies could have serious financial repercussions. APP took a hit to its brand in 2007 when the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) disassociated from the Asian conglomerate over concerns of deforestation. News of Wijaya’s pending control over APP prompted several environmental groups to call on the FSC to “immediately terminate” Domtar’s sustainability certificates in accordance with the group’s policy of association ... CLICK HERE for the full story

North Cowichan’s mayor is urging B.C.’s forest minister to take action to ensure the survival of the Crofton pulp and paper mill, which has seen ongoing closures. Rob Douglas wrote to Bruce Ralston last week asking for “enhanced provincial support” for the mill and its union workers, some of whom have been out of work since July. The paper side of the Crofton mill is currently idle and not expected to start up again until at least the end of February ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Paper Excellence says paper operations at its Crofton mill will remain shuttered until at least the end of February, which is bad news for about 70 unionized workers who had hoped to be back on the job December 1. The latest extension means the curtailment will now stretch to at least eight months ... CLICK HERE for the full story  

... Paper Excellence holds dozens of pulp and paper mills across Canada, the U.S., Brazil and France. In the past few years, the company embarked on a rapid series of acquisitions, with the latest culminating in March, when Paper Excellence closed a multibillion-dollar acquisition of Resolute Forest Products. That deal gives the company control of over 22 million hectares of Canadian forests and makes Paper Excellence the largest forestry company in North America. “Everything that Paper Excellence has said about being good corporate citizens gets blown out of the water if [Jackson Wijaya] decides to hide out in Shanghai or Jakarta and refuses to answer questions about his relationship to Sinar Mas, the Wijaya family, Asia Pulp and Paper and all the allegations that surround those companies,” Angus said ... CLICK HERE for the full story