The removal of the carbon tax, as I mentioned, did allow us to hire another worker. At the same time, the previous government's public health messaging about coming to work only when feeling a hundred per cent really has hammered our industrial attendance, as an unpredictable workforce is simply less productive. Those cultural signals matter, and they've impacted our business in a real way.
Finally, I'd like to caution about putting rose-coloured glasses on all trade diversification. In our sector, it often means commoditization of wood products that can otherwise support much more productivity here at home. In my career, I've seen how policies meant to diversify markets or encourage innovation sometimes create the opposite effect. In the early 2000s, the push toward China resulted in manufacturing equipment being unplugged in British Columbia and restarted offshore. Today, the same dynamic exists, just with different countries.
Our biggest competitor in the U.S. northeast is not another Canadian mill; it's Canadian old-growth fibre shipped to New Zealand, manufactured there and shipped back into the U.S. 100% duty-free. Our second biggest competitor is Canadian wood routed through U.S. value-added facilities using pricing structures designed to minimize duties. It's leakage. It drains value away from Canadian workers and Canadian manufacturers, and we need federal policy that focuses on defending against it.
I just want to leave you with two points in closing. Canada must become relentless about reducing costs for input materials and manufacturing. Productivity should be rewarded, not penalized. Second, Canada must safeguard our market access, especially to the U.S. When government steps too far into the marketing, we can oftentimes create commodities out of specialty products.
Canada's forest products are exceptional. When we combine them with competitive costs, direct market access and real support for value-added investment, our industry can compete anywhere in the world.
Thank you. I look forward to your questions.