Debates of March 10, 2009 (day 26)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The communities in my constituency are very interested in creating sustainable businesses that will employ community members now and in the future. One business like this is the harvesting of logs and operating a sawmill. One example is Jean Marie River.

I spoke earlier this session about Jean Marie River’s desire to operate a biomass co-generation unit using sawdust and scrap from a sawmill to produce wood pellets. The problem in communities may be getting financial assistance for logging and sawmill operations, let alone establishing an innovative and carbon neutral business.

It seems that support for economic development of this kind has decreased. One ITI fund that supported logging operations, the Western Harvesters Support Program, has been reduced significantly. Jean Marie River band has received assistance from the Business Development Fund in the past. Today there is no dedicated program for logging. There is a lack of stimulus for this industry.

I hope the government will review their funding programs and provide more assistance to communities for this type of economic development opportunity. As the Business Development and Investment Corporation states as its role on its website, “promoting and maintaining economic development and employment...has both economic and social aspects.”

Jean Marie River was sustained by logging for a couple of generations. They do not want to lose this identity. They want to continue with the sawmill operations for generations yet to come. I support them on this initiative and I urge our government to do the same.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.