The province will meet with Catalyst Paper and community stakeholders to come up with strategies to protect the paper industry after the U.S. imposed hefty anti-dumping duties on the company.
Premier John Horgan announced on April 19 that he has invited Green Party caucus leader Andrew Weaver, opposition leader Andrew Wilkinson, representatives from Catalyst, local MLAs, mayors and representatives from Unifor to join him, Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology Bruce Ralston and Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Doug Donaldson in a round-table discussion on the issue.
He said the round-table will hear first-hand the impact of the case, and how to best work together to protect the workers that depend on this industry.
sa国际传媒淭hese duties are unfair, especially to the people, families and communities who make their livelihood in this industry,sa国际传媒� said Horgan.
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e listening to our industry partners, community stakeholders, and working alongside our federal colleagues to support the forestry and newsprint industry and do everything we can to ease the impact of these duties.sa国际传媒�
The U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced a new 22.16 per cent anti-dumping duty on products produced by Catalyst mills in B.C., which includes mills in Crofton, Port Alberni and Powell River.
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With a 6.09 per cent preliminary American countervailing duty already in place, Catalyst Paper is now facing combined duties of 28.25 per cent.
In total, Catalystsa国际传媒檚 mills in B.C. directly employ approximately 1,600 workers, including about 570 at the Crofton mill.
sa国际传媒淲e thank the government of British Columbia and the opposition parties for their support in calling for an end to these unfair and punitive duties,sa国际传媒� said Ned Dwyer, president and CEO of Catalyst Paper.
sa国际传媒淭his unwarranted trade action comes at a challenging time for Catalyst. With fibre supply issues and other rising input costs, these duties further impact our competitiveness and we will continue to defend our company and our employees against them.sa国际传媒�
Unifor, a union representing many of the Catalyst workers, has started a campaign against the duties and sa国际传媒淭rump the bullysa国际传媒�.
sa国际传媒淯nfair tariffs arensa国际传媒檛 just political theatre, theysa国际传媒檙e reckless policies that will close down mills and throw hundreds of Canadians out of work,sa国际传媒� said Unifor president Jerry Dias.
Jon Lefebure, mayor of the Municipality of North Cowichan, where the Crofton mill is located, said sa国际传媒渢he fear is that if these punitive tariffs continue, the mill will be priced out of business.sa国际传媒�
