Mr. Speaker, feelings are not enough. The layoffs are happening today. I am urging the government not to abandon the families and workers at Crofton. Forestry workers do not need more reassurance; they need action. If the government is serious about preventing further job losses and supporting workers who have already lost their jobs, it must deliver real, sector-specific relief now, including softwood lumber relief funds that are proportional to British Columbia's role in this industry and comparable to what auto and steel received.
This means stabilizing existing mills, securing fibre supply, resolving the softwood lumber dispute with the United States and diversifying markets through a team Canada approach with provinces, labour and industry. Workers are losing their jobs today, and support must be timely and fair. Many have paid into employment insurance for decades. EI at 60% is not enough. Waiting periods delay income at the very moment families are losing paycheques, and severance clawbacks punish workers for benefits they have earned.
Will the government act now? Will it help the workers and families of Crofton, B.C., right now?