Tashi Farmilo
LJI Reporter

Two Liberal MNAs toured the Vallée-de-la-Gatineau to meet with local stakeholders and discuss
pressing regional issues. The Official Opposition’s critics for employment and forests met with
members of the MRC’s forestry crisis unit, municipal elected officials, and the team from the
region’s Carrefour Jeunesse Emploi Vallée Gatineau (CJEVG). The visit focused on the
indefinite closure of the Resolute Forest Products sawmill in Maniwaki and significant cuts to
employment services.

The forestry sector, a cornerstone of the Gatineau Valley economy, was at the heart of
discussions with municipal leaders, including MRC prefect Chantal Lamarche. According to
Pontiac MNA André Fortin, who serves as the Official Opposition critic for forests, the provincial
government is failing to grasp the urgency of the crisis. “There is no sense of urgency in the
Minister of Forests, even though the region’s economic future is currently at stake,” Fortin said.
He called on the Minister to listen to the community, which has proposed “concrete and realistic
solutions” to support forestry entrepreneurs in the region.

The tour also shed light on the effects of recent budget cuts to employment services. The
CJEVG, which plays a critical role in helping local job seekers, has seen its funding reduced by
38% over the past two years. Executive Director Sophie Beaudoin described the cuts as
catastrophic. “Weakening the CJEVG does not help job seekers,” Beaudoin said, criticizing what
she called a ‘wall-to-wall’ approach by the CAQ government that fails to consider the unique
challenges of rural regions like the Vallée-de-la-Gatineau.

Fortin reinforced these concerns, warning of broader implications for the community. “If the CAQ
government continues to sit idly by, entrepreneurs in the region will be forced to hand over their
keys to the bank. It’s as simple as that,” he said.

Madwa-Nika Cadet, the Official Opposition spokesperson on employment, denounced the
government’s approach as abandoning vulnerable populations. “Organizations in the Vallée-de-
la-Gatineau are right to be concerned,” she said. “The wall-to-wall system imposed by the CAQ
does not meet the region’s needs.”

Chantal Lamarche also voiced frustration at the lack of provincial support. “Since this
government support is no longer there, we have proposed with resilience, wisdom, and rigour
the implementation of a Workforce and Rurality Strategy,” Lamarche said. This initiative aims to
ensure accessible, high-quality employment services tailored to local realities but has been
rejected by the Minister of Employment. “We will officially resubmit it and call on the Premier to
get involved.”

The Liberal MNAs pledged to continue advocating for the region and pushing for immediate
government intervention. As Fortin stated, “The Minister must show leadership and agility and
agree to implement solutions better adapted to the Outaouais region.”​

Photo: The Official Opposition’s critics for employment and forests met with members of the
MRC’s forestry crisis unit, municipal elected officials, and the team from the region’s Carrefour
Jeunesse Emploi, as two Liberal MNAs toured the Gatineau Valley to address concerns over
the indefinite closure of the Resolute Forest Products sawmill in Maniwaki and cuts to
employment services, urging the provincial government to adopt tailored solutions and act
swiftly. (TF) Photo: Courtesy of André Fortin’s Facebook Page