Editor:
We all share the grief expressed by Andrew Appleton in his July 31 letter about the Howe Sound mill layoffs (“Mr. Weston, where have you been?”). This tragedy will impact not only the families of those now unemployed, but also the whole Sunshine Coast. This is the biggest disaster our community has suffered in years.
However, Mr. Appleton’s belief that John Weston is unsympathetic towards the laid-off workers is not correct. John did not just “walk right past mill employees in the Sea Cavalcade parade.” Before the parade even started, John spoke with the HSPP union representative and offered to meet the laid-off workers.
John came to Sea Cavalcade to meet with people on the Sunshine Coast. He participates in our community events to be regularly accessible.
John has been supporting HSPP for a long time. He knows it is the number one employer on the Coast. In 2010, he arranged $43 million from the federal government to upgrade the Howe Sound mill when its survival was in doubt.
In a Coast Reporter article (April 23, 2010), Al Strang, HSSP’s manager for environmental and external relations at the time, thanked John publicly for the initial $6-million grant. He said John was “very significant in Ottawa” in securing this funding which helped the mill maintain 450 jobs.
John will do everything in his power to help this mill and its people survive.
Paul Wagler, Roberts Creek
