November 24, 2003
Boycott of B.C. Wood in China (Motion 104)
Motion on Notice
["Be it resolved that this House condemns the boycott of BC wood in China, and further that this House continues to support the efforts of British Columbia's forest industry, its workers, and their families."]
R. Lee: I would like to speak in support of Motion 104, moved by the hon. member for Chilliwack-Kent: "Be it resolved that this House condemns the boycott of BC wood in China, and further that this House continues to support the efforts of British Columbia's forest industry, its workers, and their families."
I believe the movement to boycott our B.C. wood in China was not initiated by people in China. I believe the movement to boycott our B.C. wood in China was launched by five environmental groups based in our province which have taken out advertising in a Chinese newspaper, China Daily, urging a boycott of British Columbia lumber.
The forest industry has a long history, being an important economic driver for this province. Forestry product exports each year generate $14.2 billion, and this sector accounts for one in seven jobs. The province is blessed with this natural renewable resource. The revenue created by the forest sector is helping to pay for the expense of our health care, education and social services.
When I heard about this boycott, I was in China with the Premier creating more favourable conditions for forest products from this province and asking the Chinese builders and consumers to use more lumber, which is environmentally friendlier than concrete and bricks.
British Columbia is world renowned for its practices in sustainable forest management. Less than one-third of 1 percent of our forest is logged each year, and we plant two million trees a year — six trees every second.
China currently imports a lot of wood from Russia, South Asia and Australia. Its demand for lumber of all grades is huge. While we were in China earlier this month, the Premier signed a letter of intent with the Chinese Academy of Forestry to find new uses for fire- and beetle-affected wood. Our delegation also met the Chinese Ministry of Construction to discuss a wood-frame structure building code. China builds ten million housing units each year, and currently only 1 percent is of wood-frame construction.
I can see a lot of potential for exporting forest products to China, especially for surplus of fibre which the market in North America cannot absorb. Pine beetle infestation has now affected about 160 million cubic metres of pine. Harvesting the leading edge of the pine infestation is an effective way of mitigating its spread. Harvesting fire-killed timber in some areas supports ecosystem rehabilitation.
I am pleased to hear that China just published the design code for wood-frame structure after our delegation returned from China. I support more export of wood to China to generate more jobs for our workers and families in British Columbia.
