A delegation of Howe Sound Pulp and Paper (HSPP) employees was in Ottawa this week to rally on Parliament Hill and meet with John Weston, MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country.
Don Rheaume, president of the CEP local 1119, brought a stark message and a plea for government to help support the suffering forest industry.
"Basically, what we told him in a nutshell was that we sat down with workers and we sat down with the company and we're doing what we can to get us through these difficult times, but we need the provincial government and the federal government," Rheaume said. "Time is not on our side. Governments need to get it together very quickly or we won't have a forest industry and we won't have those good jobs that go with it."
One of the issues Rheaume brought forward was a subsidy that similar businesses in the United States are currently getting called "black liquor."
"We cannot compete with that situation. Most importantly we need a level playing field in order to compete," Rheaume said.
Weston said he recognized the emotion of the situation and he felt for the workers who had been laid off by the company, three of whom were there in Ottawa to meet him.
Weston said he has been pursuing the black liquor issue with both the Canadian and U.S. governments.
"With the combined interests of the union and management, I've brought this up with the U.S. consular general," Weston said in an interview with Coast Reporter on Tuesday.
"I've brought it up with the Minister of Natural Resources and the Minister of International Trade. I know that subsidy is going to end by October. I would like it to end earlier if possible."
Weston said he would also work to find loan guarantees for reeling forest industries and mentioned several government grant programs currently operating to help forestry dependent communities affected by job losses.
