| MLA Bennett Challenges NDP on HST Forestry Benefits
August 26, 2009 MLA Bennett Challenges NDP on HST Forestry Benefits CRANBROOK - Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett is not tolerating NDP forestry critic Norm Macdonald's misinformation campaign to exploit the fears of forestry workers. "I am always open to different points of view, but the one thing I refuse to tolerate is the spreading of misinformation for cheap political gain, especially when it is done to exploit the fears of forestry workers and their families during these tough economic times," says Bennett. "The fact is that HST will have a dramatically positive impact on forestry and that includes saving and creating forestry jobs, jobs that will benefit families in resource towns all over the province." "Once again, we are seeing a real inconsistency in the leadership of the NDP. They claim we need to take action to help forestry-dependent communities, we introduce the HST that will inject $140 million in savings for the industry which will result in sustainable jobs, and the NDP respond by not only opposing HST, but also by unfairly adding to the stress of forestry workers already struggling in a global economic downturn." Forestry sector stakeholders from all over the province have, for years, been calling on the government to implement an Harmonized Sales Tax as one of the more crucial tools in ensuring the strength of the industry. Bennett was responding to media reports in which NDP MLA Norm Macdonald admitted that the HST will result in cost savings for the industry but questions what that actually means for forest workers. "What Norm fails to understand is that you can't have forestry workers without a more prosperous forestry sector," adds Bennett. "By tearing down barriers for industry, we are opening the door for more investment that will get people back to work and on track towards a stronger economy." "If the NDP are against economic recovery and sustainable jobs, then they should come out and say it rather than pander to the media, playing cheap political games that do nothing to help hard-working, resource-based communities," concludes Bennett. -30- |
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