OTTAWA, ONTARIO – Since I entered politics, and even before I was President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry at L’Amiante, I have always stood up for the chrysotile asbestos industry and its workers. The Bell mine shutdown is a business decision that saddens and worries me.
Unlike what the Bloc claims, the Conservatives are working hard to support our workers. For example, on February 22, I made a joint announcement with Minister Laurent Lessard that Ottawa and Québec were investing $684,050 into the RCM of L’Amiante in order to encourage the return to work of older laid-off employees (see article: “Secteur manufacturier : Près de 700 000 $ pour venir en aide aux travailleurs” by Daniel Couture in Le Courrier Frontenac, February 25, 2008).

Other regions of the country are going through similar hardships to ours, and that is why the Conservatives have invested more in workers. Furthermore, the 2008 budget includes funds of about 90 million dollars over three years to extend the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers to March 2012, which will help more older workers remain active and productive in Canada’s labour market. These funds will be added to the 70 million dollars in government spending over two years to implement the initiative.

My team and I are working hand-in-hand with stakeholders in the community, including the union and the occupation transfer committee, to improve the situation for workers affected by the shutdown. Important meetings have been planned. The aim is to find solution avenues so that all our stakeholders can provide maximum support for our workers, according to each one’s needs. The above-mentioned example clearly shows our willingness and capacity to act.

As your federal Member of Parliament, I am concerned by the fate of each worker who has lost his or her job in the County of Mégantic–L'Érable. It is truly unfortunate that the Bloc is trying to gain political advantage without even considering the possibility of reintegrating certain workers.

What is even more unfortunate, and even shocking, is that the comments of the Bloc member imply that the Bloc could do a better job. However, he forgot to mention that the Bloc will never be in power. Before accusing us of breaking our word, the Bloc should remember the 750 electoral promises its party has made since 1990 that have never been kept.

Christian Paradis
Secretary of State (Agriculture) and Member for Mégantic–L'Érable