Unbelievable to hear negative raw log exports comments from Mayor Mike Ruttan and MLA Scott Fraser without facing the facts and reality.
Their comments all miss the number one point.
The lumber industry is now competitive, and to be competitive, B.C. forest manufacturing WAGES have to come down lower.
If our mills cannot produce the lumber at a lower rate of employee wages, then what is the point of having a large inventory of lumber that is not selling?
This means that mills close, but with log exports, we still have taxpayers working, many in fact.
Local NDP MLA Scott Fraser, who does not live in this riding, and is paid a taxpayer funded salary of $102,878, seems to blow off a lot of steam in regards to raw log exports.
During the NDP government years of Glen Clark in B.C., the NDP created their own forest practices code, with more than 4,500 regulations contained in 252 sections, 19 regulation books and 36 guide books added at least one billion in costs to the forest industry for no public benefit making the coastal forest industry the highest cost producer of timber in the world.
Between 1991 and 2001, 39 mills closed because of the NDP provincial government and not by the economy.
Then NDP premier Glen Clark ordered the forest industry to create 21,000 new jobs over five years or lose timber cutting rights; 13,000 jobs disappeared because of his bogus threats.
In summary, to see these raw logs being exported to be cut here in B.C., the wages have to be reduced, as B.C. is not the only place in the world to buy lumber and if Mike Ruttan and Scott Fraser disagree, then I ask them why do they get three estimates when putting a new roof on their home, or going to five different car dealerships when looking to buy a new car?
It is time for them to practice what they are preaching. Unbelievable, but true. Also Mickey Mouse on their part.