Williams Lake Mayor says Her Community Will Survive Forestry Cuts

Thursday, February 05, 2009 08:30 AM

Williams Lake, B.C. - Williams Lake Mayor Kerry Cook says her community is resilient, but admits there will be tough times ahead.

The community was hit with a major blow this week as Tolko Industries announced that all three of its area mills and another operation in Quesnel wood take downtime until market conditions improve.

Cook says the city will have to sharpen its pencil and work together with the community to find some solutions to get though difficult times.

"We are really looking at all of our financial decision around budget-making and really taking a hard look. We're going to have, I think, a very prudent budget this year. We know we nee to be responsible and accountable to the people."

Meantime, Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell says the province will be there to do what it can to help affected forestry workers. Bell calls the most recent curtailments announced by Canfor, Tolko, West Fraser, and Tembec a tough decision for each company, but the right one. He says he remains relatively confident that the pain will be short-lived.

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Posted on Thursday, February 05, 2009 08:30 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: beesknees on February 5 2009 9:11 AM

Of course, politicians will try to put a positive spin on these gloomy stories. Most of them imagine themselves to be a version of Winston Churchill, whose tough talk and cigar chomping antics raised a nation's hopes during some grim times.

Not that I'm that old, I've just read lots of history books. So my comment isn't due to intelligence on my part, just that I'm a boring guy with little to do, so I read books.

Anyways, back to the subject. I wish these politicians wouldn't try to stir up any false hopes in people. Now is the time to really tell the truth, and then let people know they are going to have to really tighten their belts for about 5 years, and that as local and provincial politicians, they have little control over the events that have caused these shutdowns, so they don't have any solutions either.

That's my comment. Now I'm going to post it, by clicking on this button right here.

Posted by: Shellshadow on February 5 2009 9:16 AM

I wish the Prince George council felt like Kerry Cook in regards to a "VERY PRUDIENT BUDGET". Instead they go about blindly thinking that Prince George is not suffering. Maybe the Arts Centre and trails will help create jobs. :}~

Posted by: MrPG on February 5 2009 9:40 AM

Well, bees, I suppose there's two ways of approaching adversity. You can deal with the situation and stay positive, or you can be like the many 'chicken littles' on this board who proclaim every day that the world is ending and all is hopeless.

Posted by: RRrabbitt on February 5 2009 10:43 AM

AAhhhhwwww... C'mon... we already know the world is ending at sunset on Dec 23, 2012..... so don't waste any more time worrying about that question. :-)

Live every moment of each day... hug every loved one as often as you can ... embrace every shaft of sunlight and every wet snowflake that you can catch. Seek out the simple things and cherish the wonder of Mother's bounty.

Laugh in the face of despair... they can (and will) break our bodies.... but they will never break our souls .

Blessings. :-)

V.