Natural Resources Committee on March 11th, 2008

[Joe Comuzzi, Conservative, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Mayor Scarrow, not to think of what this committee is going to make a recommendation on, but the pine beetle is one of the major concerns. The recommendation will obviously be what we as a government do to help the industry and the people in that area who are affected. It seems to me that the northern part of Saskatchewan has to play a huge role in the war against this pine beetle on the eastern side of Alberta and the western side of Saskatchewan. That's maybe where the war is going to be fought. I would very much like to see a plan based on science from the researchers.

We're going to stop it. I don't know how we're going to do it yet, but we're going to have to do it before it spreads through Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. I think that's where the battle lines have to be drawn.

I'm absolutely positive that this committee would very much like to hear what your plans are. You're the leader in that area, so could I ask you for that? Not today, but--

[Jim Scarrow]

I could respond quickly, and I can get notes to the committee from the pine beetle symposium, which was held in my city about eight months ago.

At least for this year, again we've had extremely cold temperatures. The only thing that seems to work is minus 35 degrees for four or five days, and the outlook is for more of the same in Saskatchewan for many years to come. We like cold.

I'll get a copy of that for you.

[Joe Comuzzi, Conservative, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Thank you, I think that's important. I'm glad we agree on that.

Mayor Compton and Mr. Candline, I know a bit about the area of which we speak, and I'm going to be very frank. I think you're being a little unfair with us, Mayor Compton, in stating that we're not trying to do things in northwestern Ontario. We really are. You realize of course that all communities exist on each other in northwestern Ontario.

Last week, we announced about $4 million in airport improvements, which is going to enhance the forestry business and these small airports. It's absolutely necessary. It's going to enhance the exploration into the mining business that we need. All of these airports needed some assistance, and we were very happy to do that. This week I'm supposed to go to Kenora and announce a winter roads program for first nations, and I'm trying to find a day when I can do that.

I don't think you're being isolated, and I don't want you to feel isolated. I talked about a recovery program for Kenora yesterday afternoon. We talked about a recovery program for Dryden. We understand that the paper industry, the newsprint industry, is gone in Canada. We have heard evidence about that in the last two or three weeks. When Kenora lost the Minneapolis papers as their main customers, the writing was on the wall. I don't know why we lost them, but we lost them. They were your main customers for so many years, and you treated those customers very well.

We want a recovery plan, and we have some thoughts that we would like to talk to you about. It's very important that the mayors of the small communities--the mayor we were talking to in Dryden, and you--all come together on a plan where we work together rather than being opposed to each other.

That's all I want to offer today.

[Leonard Compton]

May I comment?

[Joe Comuzzi, Conservative, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

By all means.

[Leonard Compton]

I feel that for Kenora it was too late. Once the mill is closed and bulldozed down, it doesn't help us very much.

But there is one thing I'm amazed at in our area, as I mentioned to Ken Boshcoff on the way out. I was a lawyer, so I don't know much about forestry--maybe I don't know much about other things as well--but I've lived in Kenora for 45 years, so I've seen the good times and the bad times. But one thing amazes me. I think in a basic way supply and demand is really all we're talking about here today. We have an oversupply, but in Kenora we have a supply and a demand, and the federal government--not just your administration, but going way back--turns their back. Indian Affairs should be using our wood supply to put housing on the reserves. If you stand in downtown Kenora, within 40 miles we have 10 reserves.

On the way down on the airplane, Chief Fisher from the Whitedog reserve was coming down to see your Minister of Indian Affairs, because they've been waiting for a school for years and years, and it keeps being delayed. Why don't we build that now? We have the product and we have all those things going for us, and every reserve in our area needs housing. Why wouldn't Indian Affairs...? Unless there's some constipation someplace in the federal bureaucracy, why wouldn't we be making use of our supply and demand?

[Joe Comuzzi, Conservative, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

My five minutes is up, Mr. Chair--

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

It is. Thank you, Mr. Comuzzi.

[Joe Comuzzi, Conservative, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

--but you stay there, and you and I are going to have a little talk after the meeting.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you, Mr. Comuzzi.

Thank you to all of you for coming today, for your presentations, and for answering questions.

Thanks to all members of the committee for your questions.

The meeting is adjourned.