Thoughts on BC Politics and More

On February 18 th , Carole James Finance Ministry sent out a Budget 2020 media release ... it began with the following words: Budget 2020 moves British Columbia forward by building the infrastructure the growing province needs, supporting thousands of new jobs, strengthening investments in health and education and making life more affordable for everyone .   What that media release did not indicate, despite such a glowing introduction, was the very real reality of BC’s situation ... declining exports, industrial building projects being curtailed, second thoughts being raised on energy projects, nor resource jobs - especially forestry – in a steep decline. The other thing which was conveniently left out of the announcement was the fact that Tourism, the Arts and Culture -- one of the sectors of our economy which they have been touting as what they see as a big part of the greening of BC – was being robbed of, according to the BC Liberals, over $1.3 million in e...

The following, are the remarks of Nechako Lakes MLA, and BC Liberal Forestry Critic, John Rustad ... they were made this morning in the BC Legislature.   Please note, this is the initial draft transcript: Statements (Standing Order 25B) FOREST INDUSTRY AND WORKERS J. Rustad: B.C.'s forest sector workers are proud what they do. They like to get up in the morning and work a hard but fulfilling day. More than 120,000 men and women across this province depend directly or indirectly on a healthy forest sector. More than 140 communities depend on a vibrant, competitive forest industry. Forestry feeds these families. Forestry is the backbone of these communities and of my riding of Nechako Lakes. B.C.'s forest sector has driven technological development. It has opened areas for recreation, hunting, exploration and so much more. It supports agriculture and countless small businesses. Forestry is a foundational industry to the economic health of...

Derek Nighbor, president, and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) issued the following statement regarding the Wildlands League report on forest practices:   Canada is an undisputed global leader in sustainable forest management.  For more than 100 years, the forest sector has played a fundamental role in Canada’s economy. Forests are part of our history, our geography, our homes, and our transportation. Today, the sector is in the midst of a transformation that is bringing forward innovative new products, diversified markets, enhanced environmental credentials, and a skilled workforce. A key role we are playing in fighting climate change is using wood products as alternatives to higher carbon-intensive products such as cement and. Regretfully, this report overlooks the innovative, sustainable and inclusive nature of Canada’s forest sector in the 21st century, and it does not acknowledge the positive solutions-based role we’re pla...

Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, yesterday released the following statement in recognition of National Forest Week: “ National Forest Week is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of Canada’s forests. Here in British Columbia, our forests have always been vital to our way of life, providing economic, environmental, recreational and cultural values to our communities” . “ Currently, our forest industry is going through a very challenging transition. This government is committed to helping impacted workers, their families and communities weather these ongoing changes. We recently announced $69 million to support workers affected by mill closures in the Interior forest sector. We are taking action to ensure support systems are in place, and we are going to do everything we can to make sure our forest industry stays competitive as we transition to a new vision for forestry in BC” . Meantime, ...

More forestry curtailments and extensions ... Coastal production going down ... Interior production taking a serious hit and all the while NO response from government ... The real challenge is that the problem is growing, and a turnaround is not in sight yet. I've been trying to figure out just why John Horgan's NDP government won't step up to help the forest sector, workers and communities. I can only come up with three reasons, but I don't know which is right: 1) Simple incompetence ... they don't realize the difficulties, and they also don't realize that this isn't a short-term problem. One company I spoke with thinks that 2020 could be a write off, and are hoping for a turnaround in 2021. One analyst I've read is suggesting there won't be a significant improvement in USA housing starts until 2025. 2) Don't extend help, and blame the former government in a perverted attempt to gain support for the next election....