Save Our Community Rally in Fort St. James

“Save Our Community Rally” to be held in Fort St. James on August 23

FORT ST. JAMES, BC. Concerned citizens in Fort St. James, BC, are organizing a “Save Our Community Rally” for 12noon, August 23 in Cottonwood Park, to which they are inviting all residents of the town, as well as people from communities throughout the region.

Fort St. James and surrounding First Nations communities have made valuable contributions to the history, culture and economic development of BC. Recently, they have been hit hard with layoffs and shutdowns in the forest industry, resulting in a high unemployment rate and a depressed economy.

One of the biggest concerns of people in Fort St. James and other communities is the need to re-institute legislation requiring forestry companies to process the logs in the communities where they are harvested, i.e., the “appurtenance clause.” Four years ago the provincial government removed this clause, and many feel that this is causing serious problems for forestry-based communities because companies can now close mills, yet still hold onto the timber licenses and ship raw logs out of the community or region.

Peter Ewart, from the Stand Up for the North Committee, which is supporting the August 23 rally, feels that a new kind of “appurtenance” is required that will not only tie logs to communities, but also “give priority to companies that invest in more diversified or value-added production that creates jobs and broadens the economic base.” It will also give priority to those forest companies that “cooperate with and provide secure access to quality timber for other value-added companies.”

Rick Montemurro, spokesperson for the rally and Fort St. James businessman, says that “all levels of government need to work together to provide various supports for hard hit communities, including extending EI benefits for laid off forestry workers in the region, providing benefits for other non-forestry workers, contractors, and self-employed individuals, instituting the Northern Living Allowance, and giving relief from any carbon taxes that are enacted, either provincially or federally.”

He also believes that their needs to be more access to training and education for people in smaller communities, and this training and education should be “relevant to the local and regional economy.”

A contingent of people from Mackenzie will be traveling to Fort St. James to attend the Aug. 23 rally. Alf Wilkins, one of the key organizers of the huge Mackenzie rally that took place last May, says that “an injury to one community is an injury to all. With all the chaos in the forest industry, it is important that communities stick together and support each other.”

Time: 12 noon
Date: Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008
Place: Cottonwood Park, Fort St. James

Organized by: Fort St. James Committee of Concerned Citizens, Mackenzie Committee of Concerned Citizens, & Stand Up for the North Committee

For more info on the rally call Rick Montemurro: (250) 996-7554 or email: rick@maxit.net