Hampton calls on liberals to fix forestry crisis in NWO

News Release
Ont. NDP

Howard Hampton, Ontario NDP Leader and MPP for Kenora-Rainy River asks: Where is the McGuinty government as the North’s forest industry bleeds more jobs?
Hampton is reacting to the announcement from Kruger Inc. that they will indefinitely idle the Longlac Wood Industries mill in October causing 350 workers to lose their jobs.
“Industries in the north, municipalities in the north, First Nations in the north and people in the north are calling for relief from high electricity prices,” Hampton said. “The McGuinty government keeps wasting time studying the idea, while more and more mills close and communities are left to pick up the pieces.”
The McGuinty government knows the seriousness of the crisis in the forest industry, but to date they have done nothing to address high electricity prices that are killing jobs,” Hampton said. “The time is long overdue for the McGuinty government to let Northerners run their own electricity system.”
A recent report on how to save Ontario’s forest industry by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, “Public Forests, Public Returns: A Way Forward for Ontario” recommends the creation of a public power authority for northwestern Ontario with powers to set regional hydro prices and to make decisions on hydro transmission
“The McGuinty government is taking its time while communities across the North get whacked,” Hampton said. “Instead of cozying up to Stephen Harper and supporting his disastrous softwood lumber deal that will hit the north hardest, the McGuinty government should fight for the North.”
“The North deserves a plan to deal with this crisis now. We can’t wait any longer,” Hampton said.