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Liberal candidate Jean-Claude D’Amours says that there are three ways to help create jobs in this region.

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Jean-Claude D'Amours

"The first is to help the employers we still have in the county so we don't lose any other jobs," the incumbent MP said in an interview last week. "The second thing is to focus on other types of businesses."

D'Amours said that he will continue to work to find a solution for the idle AbitibiBowater mill in Dalhousie. He said that he has asked the company to respect the pension plans of the laid-off workers and to heat the mill and remove snow from the roof during the upcoming winter so that the infrastructure will be protected. He said that he will continue to ask the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency to provide the same help as was given to the Nackawic mill when it closed. That mill is now producing soluble pulp for Asian markets.

D'Amours said that forestry will continue to be the primary industry in Restigouche County and that there must be efforts to rejuvenate it. Otherwise "many, many people will suffer."

D'Amours said that he will continue to push for projects like a training facility for people in the public safety sector. This would prepare them for federal jobs at ports of entry. He said that we have all the needed infrastructure: airport, Port of Dalhousie, rail lines and highways. He also mentioned a move to have the Department of National Defense establish a First Nations unit based in Restigouche County.

D'Amours was critical of ACOA's recent approach to development. "I'm so sad... that ACOA is moving on the wrong side right now," he said. He said that while the agency should be helping businesses and organizations improve the quality of life in the region, it is refusing to fund projects in the north. He charged that when the province put $100 million into the Restigouche-Chaleur fund, ACOA withdrew support for projects in this area. He said that the province's intention was to have twice as much money available so there would be twice as many projects. "It's unacceptable that ACOA is saying that because the province is coming up with new money, we will reduce the portion of money we will send to that area," he said.

D'Amours said that climate change is a "hot topic" right now, not only in this area but across the country and around the world.

"People are worried about the environment," he said. "They want to make sure we are living in a place where you can drink the water and breathe normally and don't have to be worried about what they eat."

He said that climate change is linked to the economy., but that many people don't recognize this or want to avoid the issue. This can't be done because climate change can affect our forests, fishing, agriculture and more. "We have to address that; we cannot waste our planet," he said.

D'Amours charged that the Conservative government has cut many cultural programs, "not only once, but many times," he said. "They think it's a waste of money, but... it provides $86 billion of investment in Canada each year."

He explained that this includes everything form young musicians to festivals and museums and that these form a significant part of the economy and contribute to quality of life. He said that a Liberal government would restore the programs that have been cut.

D'Amours said that Stephen Harper believes only rich people benefit from cultural programs, but that few artists are rich and that arts organizations and museums are largely run by volunteers.

D'Amours said that he will continue to push for improvements to the Employment Insurance program. He said that the Conservative government wants to "destroy" the existing program and establish a commission that would be similar to the Workers Compensation Board in New Brunswick. This, he said, would mean that fewer people would be eligible for benefits.

He spoke about situations in which people have to wait up to 60 days for their first EI cheques and pledged that a Liberal government would guarantee that the first cheque would be received within 15 days. He said that the Liberals would make a pilot project that uses the best weeks instead of the most recent ones when determining the amount of benefits. They would also extend the benefit period.