Meetings Set To Talk About Mill Closures and Saving Communities

By 250 News

Prince George, B.C. - There are lessons to be learned from a group called STRONG  “Saving the Region of Ontario North Group” and the prime teacher will be  coming to this region to share that information.

The  President  of the grassroots, non partisan  organization, Al Simard,  will be  coming to the Prince George region in April to talk about its experience in  northern Ontario  when  communities were faced with massive lay offs and mill closures.

STRONG is working to bring together people in Northern Ontario to work for sustainable communities, preservation of infrastructure, more community control over forest policy, and more value-added manufacturing of natural resources.  (See STRONG’s website at: www.thestrongroup.org)

STRONG was formed in 2005 on a non-profit basis and has expanded rapidly since then.  It now has over 6,000 members in a dozen communities in Northern Ontario.  Its main objective is to prevent the destruction, dismantling and ongoing depopulation of Northern Ontario communities that is happening as a result of poor or discriminatory government policies, as well as the failure of multinational corporations to adapt, reinvest and innovate in Northern Ontario by adding value to the region’s raw resources.

Peter Ewart, spokesperson for the Stand Up for the North Committee, says that the committee “is very pleased to have Al Simard come and speak as the situation in Northern Ontario has many similarities to that of Central and Northern British Columbia.”  Despite contributing enormously to provincial government coffers, both regions have a profound sense of alienation from the provincial legislatures and corporate boardrooms to the South.  And both are being hit hard by the current downturn in the forest industry that is threatening the very existence of some communities.

Al Simard, President of  (STRONG) will be speaking in Fort St. James on April 21, Prince George on April 22, and Mackenzie on April 23.  Workers, business people, municipal leaders, educators and the general public are invited to come out and discuss the Northern Ontario experience in saving and defending rural communities.

Fort St. James:

Prince George:

Mackenzie

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