= Local 1-80 president Bill Routley
(seated) at town hall meeting in
Nanaimo. scott Lunny

Town Hall meetings are
boycotted by Conservatives
On October 26 the union
sponsored town hall meetings,
to discuss the Harper-Bush
softwood lumber deal, in the
cities of Nanaimo, BC and
Thunder Bay, Ontario (see page
30). In Nanaimo, where there
were about 80 present, one
laid-off millworker questioned
why the Harper government
had not consulted with “real
Canadians” who will be
affected by the deal. North
Island NDP MLA Catherine Bell
said the bill can still be defeated
while NDP forestry critic Bob
Simpson said BC Liberals have
also created a crisis by not
standing up to Harper. He said
Premier Gordon Campbell
traded off the welfare of forest

2010 Olympics funding. In
Thunder Bay about 100 were
Present. Many expressed their
anger at the Harper
government for being in the
PORT CR et cee

«STRATEGIC CAMPAIGNS

SOFTWOOD LUMBER
Union lobbies Ottawa
to oppose Harper-Bush

EIGHT STEELWORKERS hit Parliament
Hill between September 24-29 to lobby
federal MP’s and Senators to vote against
the Harper-Bush softwood agreement.
From IWA Council locals were Local 1-
324’s Gordon Landriault, Local 1-405’s
Jeff Bromley, Local 1-ar71’s Allan
Chesterman, Local 1-2995’s Alain
Charlebois, and Local 1-1000’s Darlene
Jalbert. They worked with Sylvie
Bertrand, Paul Miller and Joe Krmpotich.

Working in teams of two, the lobbyists
gained full support from the NDP, and
had a good reception with the Bloc
Quebecois. Many Liberals were receptive,
but no Conservatives changed their
minds, said Brother Landriault in an

= Local 1-1000’s Darlene Jalbert and Local 1-
324's Gordon Landriault contacting MPs. usw

interview with The Allied Worker.
Landriault said that politicians paid
attention to the lobby, ete fume. cat
that most of them had
186-page bill. Only some read a 14-page
mary. The lesson? “Don’t assume
that politicians actually know what they
are voting on in Canada’s federal parlia-
ment,” says Landriault. “And don’t
assume that they know the issues.”

HARPER-BUSH LUMBER DEAL
Members flood MP’s
with “Beaver” postcards

UNION MEMBERS and community mem-
1 5 lis q

writing campaign to stop the Harper-Bush
softwood agreement.

The postcard, addressed to Members
of Parliament, have a Canadian Beaver on
the front (see editorial cartoon on page 4)
with the caption: “Hey, just what is going
on here? Let’s stand up for Canada and
stop the Harper-Bush deal!”

The back of the card carries the mes-
“PM Stephen Harper and the
have railroaded the
anadian forest industry, workers and

softwood lumber deal

= Local 1 | Grak
conference delegates to sign cards. Norma Garcia

I a ya setae wit Conadian, workers

the House of Commons. Let's not allow
Stephen Harper and George W. Bush to
pull a fast one on Canada!”

IWA Council Bob Matters says the post-
cards were one way of delivering the mes-

ae Ur & Presta George W. Bush. It’s

1

others for their participation. “It all part of
1 as Muheaalats shee a 0g Oph dean Wg
s

industry in the north of the
Province. No Conservatives
Were present at either meeting.

workplace

anne and job losses in Canada. STOP

in Ottawa and holding town halling meet:

1g
ical |

THE MHARPER-BUSH SOFTWOOD
1A eae ‘
y

Ys

d ion,” he says.

Ie

THE ALLIED WORKER DECEMBER 2006 | 23