Published: October 07, 2008 1:00 PM
Updated: October 07, 2008 1:07 PM
Golden Star
Bob Simpson, forestry critic for the NDP has joined Columbia River – Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald on a tour of Revelstoke, Golden, the Columbia Valley and Cranbrook to discuss solutions to the province’s forestry crisis.
Simpson is visiting a series of communities through BC this fall to hear from British Columbians on the state of the forest industry.
Last week they were in Golden to meet with representatives from Louisiana Pacific (LP) to discuss the pending crisis the mill here could be facing.
Simpson, who represents the forest-dependent region of Cariboo North, said these meetings focus on solutions to the problems in the forestry industry.
Simpson, speaking with LP representatives, laid out a five point plan to revitalize and modernize the forest industry:
1. Healthy forests.
“We need more diverse forests,” said Simpson, adding, “With the pine beetle epidemic and the newer spruce beetle epidemic in areas like Quesnel it is much worse than the government projects regarding the inventory for our current forests.”
Simpson said the need for rehabilitation in B.C.’s forests is of utmost importance.
“In 2007, 270 million seedlings were planted province wide. By 2010, under the current government, there will only be 170 million seedlings planted; that could be the lowest since major replanting began.”
2. Promoting Innovation.
Simpson said converting bio-mass in forests into fossil fuels is a step that needs to be taken.
He said that promoting the new industry to the younger generation is a key step in sustaining the industry.
“Right now kids are not attracted to this industry, but if we make them a part of the solution they may be more attracted to it.”
3. Invest in forest workers and their communities.
Simpson said it is important to give workers back the freedom to manage the land base.
4. Create a permanent commission on forestry.
“What we need is s minister of natural resources that focuses purely on this issue,” said Simpson.
“This person would act just like an Ombudsman with a chief forester that reports directly to them.
We need an advocate for the forest for the security of British Columbians.”
5. Reform the outdated tenure system.
Simpson said people have to adjust to the transition that inevitably has to be made.
“We need to commit to consultation with the people of B.C. who own the forests. We need to give tenure back to the people.”
Simpson said that the transitions should reflect individual community needs.
“We have to look at LP’s needs for example and make the transitions accordingly.”
Simpson said more than 14,000 jobs have been lost from the forest industry since the beginning of 2007.
“This industry is critically important to communities like Revelstoke, Golden, Radium and Canal Flats.”
Macdonald said forest workers in this area tell him that the industry is in crisis and that the Campbell government is doing nothing to protect workers.
“We have to take accountability and come up with solutions,” said Macdonald in closing, “No one will do that for us. We have to make changes at a grass roots level.”
Bernie Heuvelmann, a representative for LP, said he felt that any change is going to get push-back.
“The fear factor is huge. These are really technical issues that we have to make the public aware of.”
Simpson said he would do his part to educate people on this idea of a new bio-mass economy.
Macdonald said, “The biggest part of industry communities likes ours represent is forestry. When the mills are slowing down, everything else slows down as well.”
“Now is the time to make structural changes in the industry that make sense in today’s world,” said Simpson, adding, “We want to engage the public in the ideas that we are proposing.”
Our Forests, Our Future: A Plan to Revitalize our Forest Industry is available online at www.ourforests.ca.