SPEC Headlines, June 8, 2003

Spec follows Gaspesia Paper workers to Finland.
Gilles Gagné
    Since Saturday, May 31, Spec has been following three Gaspesia Paper
workers, mechanical engineer Gérard Leclerc, and mechanical technicians
Alain Dunn and Marc André Garant in Finland, where they are getting some
advanced training in order to cope with the modernized Chandler mill
scheduled to resume production in a year from now.
    Mr. Leclerc, Dunn and Garant are actually experiencing their second stay
in a  Scandinavian country, since they were part of the first group under
training by the biggest subcontractor of the Chandler Mill refurbishing
project, Metso Paper, the company selected to modernize the no. 1 paper
machine at the Gaspesia plant.

Branching out theme of  Human Resources annual report
Charlene Eden

    The Gaspesian Community Economic Development and Employability Committee
(CEDEC) hosted the launch of the Annual Report of Activities by the National
Human Resources Development Committee for the English Linguistic Minority
(NHRDCELM) at La Vieille Usine in L¹Anse a Beaufils on May 27th. The launch
was attended by 33 representatives of the initiative¹s Community and
Government Tables as well as numerous community volunteers representing
English-speaking communities.
    NHRDCELM¹s Annual Report, entitled Branching Out, demonstrates that
partnerships have been formed between numerous Federal government
departments, and the province's CEDECs and their volunteers, to enable the
creation of crucial development projects for the province's English minority
communities.  "Its title Branching Out illustrates the continued growth of
this exciting initiative.  This year¹s annual report provides only a brief
snapshot of the challenges met, while moving this process along in the
communities to engage our youth, to take advantage of our new technological
tools and tackle serious development issues," said John Buck, president of
the Community Table and National Committee co-chair.

Normandeau addresses Murdochville citizens in a letter
Charlene Eden

    Nathalie Normandeau, Tourism Minister and Minister responsible for the
Gaspésie and Magdalen Islands region, recently wrote a letter to the
citizens of Murdochville concerning the May 21st meeting between the Liberal
government and a delegation from Murdochville consisting of the town¹s
Municipal Council as well as representatives from the Citizens¹ Committee,
the United Steelworkers of America union, and the Local Economic Development
Corporation.
    In the letter, Ms. Normandeau reaffirmed the government¹s promise during
the election to realistically analyze potential revival projects and the
possibility of an equitable compensation and relocation program should no
major projects be forthcoming.  Ms. Normandeau also confirmed that
Murdochville mayor Marc Minville made a request that the government
compensate property owners who want to leave the town.