With the recent news that Weyerhaeuser is closing down two of their mills in Columbia Falls, I have experienced many different emotions. How could this happen when the ink is not even dry on the paper proclaiming that Plum Creek is now Weyerhaeuser?
Many conversations I hear at work, the coffee shop, grocery store, and after church almost always lead to opinions as to who is to blame. You hear that it’s the federal government and land management practices. Then it is the environmentalists and their lawsuits. Others bring up the fact that the Canadians are flooding our markets with cheap timber.
The fact of the matter is that it’s complicated. Numerous factors have contributed to these closures. The question to ask now is what do we do, or more importantly, what can each of us do?
As a community, we can come together as we have in the past to support our laid off workers and their families. As individuals, we can have each other’s backs while keeping those affected in our thoughts and prayers.
As your representative, I can fight for policies that protect the timber jobs we do have left and create an environment friendly to potential manufacturing possibilities. What I will not do is play the blame game or make promises that I can bring the timber industry back to its glory days.
I can and will also send a check back to Weyerhaeuser that I received to support my campaign for re-election. I am doing this not because I blame Weyerhaeuser for all that has happened, but because I stand in solidarity with the workers and those in fear of losing their jobs.
Let us continue to believe in our community and each other during these difficult times. We will get past this and the ties that bind will grow stronger as a result. As always, I welcome your input and ideas: [email protected]
Rep. Zac Perry
Martin City