Arbec petition headed to capital

March 16, 2009

When the legislature reopens in Fredericton tomorrow, the MLAs won't be the only ones in town.

Dawn MacDonald said she plans on taking a petition to Business New Brunswick Minister Greg Byrne and Natural Resources Minister Wally Stiles to show the community's support for the sale of the Weyerehaueser OSB mill to Arbec Forest Products.

"I do plan on seeking the two of them out, if I can."

Although she didn't have a final tally, MacDonald said she estimated about 2, 200 people signed the petition.

"It shows that public are interested in this cause and that people are interested in the same goal that I am."

MacDonald has spearheaded a public campaign to pressure the provincial government to help move a potential sale forward.

Arbec signed a tentative deal to buy the Weyerhaeuser mill, but it expired in December 2008 when the province told Arbec they wouldn't commit to a Crown wood allocation without business and industrial plans.

Initially the forestry company wouldn't submit them without confirmation they would be able to get enough wood.

Representatives from Business New Brunswick and Natural Resources held a meeting with Arbec last month and increased the size of the allocation offered to 300,000 cubic metres.

Arbec expects they will need between 650,000 to 700,000 cubic metres of wood per year to run the mill and what they don't get from a Crown allocation would come from private woodlots.

MacDonald said she might have to send the petition to Fredericton before she goes this week.

"There's a procedure that you have to go through with the petitions so they may actually go over ahead of me, but I do plan to be at the house on Tuesday."

There were a few people she was waiting to hear back from, but she said she didn't know if anyone else was going to make the trip to Fredericton with her.

"I think we sent our message with the petitions and the rally and everything like that so I think people are just waiting to see what is going to take place. "

MacDonald said she left the petition at different businesses around Miramichi, Rogersville, Rexton and Neguac.

"They were sent out to a good number of areas."

While she is in Fredericton, MacDonald also hopes to speak with Premier Shawn Graham, but said she knows he will be busy.

"I don't imagine I'll get too close."

MacDonald said she spoke with Arbec vice-president of finance and administration Serge Mercier on Thursday and he told her things were moving along with their business plan and they intend to contact the Natural Resources Department after company meetings this week.

"He said things are positive so that's a good sign."

A spokesperson for Natural Resources Department said Friday she didn't know if Stiles planned to meet with MacDonald during her visit.

An attempt to reach Business New Brunswick was made, but not returned by press time.