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FORESTRY CRISIS

MP McLeod calls for emergency debate in Parliament on forestry crisis

Dec 11, 2019 | 2:22 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo Conservative MP has asked for an emergency debate in Parliament regarding the forestry crisis in B.C.

Cathy McLeod says the House Speaker didn’t approve the request during question period today due to technical reasons — but she plans on reigniting the argument when the House of Commons resumes in January.

“Certainly, I think, he was not unsympathetic to the issues,” McLeod says.

McLeod was recently appointed Conservative Shadow Minister for Natural Resources, and she says she’s not alone when it comes to B.C. ridings impacted by the crisis.

“My British Columbia colleagues, whether it’s the Salmon Arm area, whether it’s the Prince George area, whether it’s Kelowna, I mean we are all together in this and we’re all understanding the devastation,” McLeod says. “The reason I ask for it right now is, of course, we have a new USMCA, or NAFTA, agreement, and we know the government did not include softwood lumber as part of it.”

McLeod says emphasis was put on aluminum in the new North American Free Trade Agreement, but there was no softwood lumber aspect to the deal.

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