Evidence of meeting #120 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was forest.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Yes, that's right, and we're not debating it. He was asking for clarification. Yes, that's what it is.
(Motion agreed to: yeas 7; nays 4)
We go now to Mr. Longfield for five minutes.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to the witnesses. I apologize for the interruption to our meeting.
I'm very interested in the sustainability of the lumber and forestry industry. I've worked in that industry myself out of Winnipeg, but also out of various plants in Ontario and up in Saguenay. I saw what happened to the paper industry when newspapers stopped being read. China took on cheap paper. The paper industry went to a better grade of paper to try to keep value in Canada. We definitely need to keep a healthy forestry industry in Canada.
Mr. Dionne, you mentioned the sustainability efforts. Since the 1970s, it's a different industry. The sustainability of the forestry industry is an example for all industries. You mentioned the commitment there. I'm not trying to trap you into a commitment, but I think it's important to set that baseline that we need to work together for a sustainable industry. You mentioned that animals and caribou come into this.
Could you maybe put some context to sustainability for us, as a committee, as we discuss this, Mr. Dionne?
Worker, Harvesting Team, Boisaco Inc.
In terms of sustainability, everything improves over time. We were talking about hardwood earlier. For us, at Boisaco—
Liberal
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
My French isn't as good as Mr. van Koeverden's, unfortunately. I grew up in Manitoba, and when I was in Abitibi, they asked, “Did you learn your French in Manitoba?” I said, “Yes, I did.” It wasn't good French.
Liberal
Worker, Harvesting Team, Boisaco Inc.
In terms of sustainability, in the past, we were concerned about wood, but we didn't have the engineering we have now.
Let me give you an example of what we are doing at Boisaco. Boisaco also has a poplar processing plant. We do not want to waste hardwood. When we harvest poplar, there is also some birch. So we wanted to find a way not to waste the birch. Since this year, we have been making birch pellets. That is proof that anything can be done. We always try to be at the cutting edge.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
That's great. I think, if I can say so, that you're ahead of Ontario, because Ontario still wastes a lot in the production process. Some mills could be financially viable if they found value in the chips on the ground and found the value in doing what you're doing to pivot.
The issue we're dealing with is a legal requirement that we have as a federal government. We're trying to get the Province of Quebec to the table because we can't operate without them in this agreement, and we're not getting return phone calls.
Could you help to maybe ask or say how important it is for the Province of Quebec to be involved? We have the indigenous communities and we have the businesses: We just don't have the province at the table.
Worker, Harvesting Team, Boisaco Inc.
I don't want to speak for the Quebec government, but I know it has done a lot of work in recent years and is also concerned about boreal caribou. I don't know why the federal government and Quebec no longer communicate on this issue. I do know, however, that the Quebec government has the knowledge to find common ground on all of this. I do not want to speak for it though, and I don't want to get into it.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
I know. I wish I could get an insight, and I agree.
The herds are different in British Columbia and they're different in Ontario. Quebec has its own particular issues that we've got lots of testimony on.
It's just really important, first of all, that as a federal government, we want you to succeed. We need a strong forestry sector. The sector is doing remarkable jobs on conservation, but we need to also protect biodiversity of the animals in the forests, and for that we need to have the province at the table.
I'll turn my time back unless there are any other comments from anybody else.
Mr. Jetté or Mr. Dufour, would you comment?
Stationary Engineer, Boisaco Inc.
I don't think the Quebec government was idle in terms of protecting caribou. I think it was perhaps still too early to assess the effectiveness of the measures it had already taken.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
Right, and they are the partner on this particular agreement. We just need to get them to the table with all the rest of us.
Thank you, Chair.
Bloc
Bloc
Marilène Gill Bloc Manicouagan, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My questions are for Mr. Dionne, who may not have completely finished, and for Mr. Dufour—
Bloc
Marilène Gill Bloc Manicouagan, QC
Right.
Mr. Dufour and Mr. Dionne, since I spoke at length earlier, I would like to give you the chance to talk. If you could tell Minister Guilbeault what has to be done, what would you say to him? I will of course invite him once again to visit us to see what is happening on the ground.
Stationary Engineer, Boisaco Inc.
Certainly, the threat of an emergency order from the Canadian government to protect the caribou may force the Quebec government to implement additional measures. However, is it reasonable to hold our entire community hostage? We feel like the real victims who may bear the brunt of a squabble between two levels of government.
Worker, Harvesting Team, Boisaco Inc.
I'm asking Minister Guilbeault to suspend his order. His order creates total terror. Fear can't solve much in conflicts. Instead of focusing on solutions, people are afraid. They just focus on their fear. We must try to find common ground and show that there are alternatives to closing Sacré‑Coeur for the survival of the caribou. I'm sure that there are alternatives. Those are my thoughts.
Stationary Engineer, Boisaco Inc.
It creates chaos among the public. We can feel the tension in the communities. We've never experienced anything of this nature in our part of the Haute‑Côte‑Nord. It's unbelievable.
Bloc
Marilène Gill Bloc Manicouagan, QC
Ms. Dufour, to wrap things up, what are your thoughts on the double standard with Ontario?
Coordinator, Sales and Transport, Boisaco Inc.
Mr. Jetté was talking earlier about harvesting burnt wood. Yes, we harvest burnt wood with the support of the Quebec government. There are special plans for this. The Boisaco group has already participated in these types of plans. Our Boisaco group companies, Bersaco and Valibois, also harvest some hardwood. We're working hard and we've taken charge as a company. This isn't just a job for us. We're stakeholders in these companies.
