The Miramichi Chamber is releasing an Op Ed piece in support of the plywood mill: Let’s Save Our Plywood Mill The Miramichi lumber supply saga continues, this time with the very real threat of our plywood mill being dismantled and shipped to Quebec, along with our 100 direct ‘living wage’ jobs. Is there still time to prevent all of this?! On behalf of the Miramichi Chamber of Commerce I have been meeting regularly with 12 dedicated former workers from this plywood mill. Their desperation is real, their passion commendable, their determination unbridled. This dedicated group of citizens mobilized additional support to ascend upon the City Council chambers on Thursday, October 24, they then presented their plea for support, and asked further for a broader public audience. Now if we could just get all of the regional and provincial stakeholders to be as equally committed that would be real progress. If this issue can’t engage the stakeholders now, an upcoming election surely will! But will that forum occur in time to save our plywood mill? We don’t think so . . . not without citizen action now. The Miramichi Chamber of Commerce knows enough about ‘business plans’ to make this observation: if a mill can generate 100 new jobs in New Brunswick then everyone should be working together on making the ‘business plan’ sustainable. If the wood allotment is already there then we need a few dedicated people to align insight and expertise and employee skill sets to make this mill a powerful economic reality and a boost to our region and our province. Further, the indirect / spin off jobs that result from a vibrant plywood mill are real too. Again, let’s remember that right now trees grown in Miramichi are being shipped out on trucks to be processed elsewhere. Our demand is clear and respectful . . . let’s keep our lumber related jobs in Miramichi. This is no time to give up and admit defeat . . . quite the contrary. In the words of Margaret Mead: ‘Never doubt that a small group of dedicated citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever did.’ Back to our 12 former plywood employees, they are our dedicated citizens. Let’s help them save our plywood mill. The stakeholders related to New Brunswick lumber allocation and utilization need to be assembled now and a solution must be created. We must continue our ‘call to action’. Call your MLA at the coordinates below and demand that action be taken now. We’re in this together. Respectfully, Mike Hill President, Miramichi Chamber of Commerce MLA, Hon. Robert B. Trevors (506.453.7414) MLA, Serge Robichaud (506.776.4005) MLA, Bill Fraser (506.624.5516) MLA, Jake Stewart (506.843.7729)
Posted on: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:06:12 +0000
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