Good evening, everyone.
My name is Joyce Dionne and I'm a wood harvesting specialist at Boisaco. The Dionne family has been harvesting wood for over 50 years. Even the children have the same passion as we do. I lead a team of 15 men, all as proud as I am of their forestry profession. The announcement of the order is a catastrophe for us. It jeopardizes the families of forestry workers.
The work of harvesting and management creates a renewable forest, which we all take care of by respecting biodiversity and environmental standards. What's more, forest management greatly reduces the risk of fire and allows the public to enjoy the area for leisure activities.
There's a way for everyone to benefit without the loss of thousands of direct and indirect jobs. I sincerely believe that with Boisaco's knowledge of the territory and the government's requirements, we can find solutions together to abolish this decree. To better understand the sector in question, I would like the members of your committee to visit our territory. They'll then have a better idea of the situation and be able to make a more informed decision.
Twenty-five years ago, when I started in forestry in this same area, there were 40 harvesters and three sawmills. Today, we have fewer than 10 harvesters and only one sawmill in the territory, and we're not in a position to operate it. Where will it all end? Because of the order, I'm feeling stress, anxiety and discouragement, which is upsetting everyone around me. I'd like you to think about the future of our young people in forestry, which would also be compromised by this order. Don't forget that we all depend on the forest.
Thank you for listening.