An emergency debate on the job crisis affecting BC forestry workers has been called by a local member of parliament.
MP for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo and Conservative Shadow Minister for Natural Resources Forestry and Mining, Cathy McLeod made the request in Parliament Wednesday.
“As we’ve been watching it unfold it’s been getting worse and worse,” McLeod told MyCaribooNow.
“We know that with the new USMCA or NAFTA agreement softwood was not even discussed and we now know also at the World Trade Organization that they were in a state of disarray and they will not be able to deal with the many issues before them, and that is of course where we’ve taken the softwood lumber agreement.”
McLeod says they are looking for an indication from the federal Liberals that they understand there is a crisis and have a plan to support workers and communities.
“So far what we have seen is recycled programs so I think it’s a critical issue,” McLeod says.
“I know many many families are heading into the Christmas holidays and are very, very concerned and of course we thought that the Parliament should give it its’ due attention.”
Although the Speaker was not able to make the debate happen, McLeod says the Conservatives will be watching the situation closely over the upcoming weeks in terms of if it is stabilizing and if the Liberals have come up with a plan.
“Certainly it would be my intention to take it back to the house when the issues of the technical reasons have been dealt with,” McLeod says.
“Hopefully they do recognize it’s an issue and that they will work carefully with the provinces and closely with the provinces. The Prime Minister went to the ethical wall and he said it was his job to protect jobs with SNC Lavalin, while we have a situation here it’s within his ability to do things that can support us.”