SPEC Headlines, Jan. 18, 2004
NEW RICHMOND - The
management of Smurfit-Stone linerboard mill in New Richmond is asking its
personnel to take initiative in order to improve the efficiency of the plant and
counter the negative effects of the rising Canadian dollar compared to the
American dollar, a situation that has created a $10 million gap in the profits
of the facility in 2003.
Carol Tremblay, the Director General of the mill, has been having
meetings with small groups of his 300 employees since December, an annual ritual
he says. But he concedes that the context is a little bit special this year,
because a lot of new workers have joined the plant recently and because of the
market situation.
“Every hike of one cent by the Canadian dollar costs us $1.5 million
in profits. Since our dollar has gained six or seven cents, maybe more, in 2003,
the impact (on the profit sheet) is close to $10 million”, explains Mr.
Tremblay.
The mill is still profitable but this gap occurs at a time when the
New Richmond mill is slowly losing the advantage developed in the middle of the
1990s, when sawdust gradually replaced woodchips in the pulp recipe of the
plant. For a number of years, the Chaleurs division was characterized by one of
the lowest production costs among North America’s linerboard mills. Woodchips
used to cost twice as much as sawdust.
Gesgapegiag multi purpose center scheduled to open soon
Gilles Gagné
GESGAPEGIAG - The
Chief and Council of the Micmacs of Gesgapegiag are happy to announce that
construction of the multi-purpose centre for the community is well underway.
In the planning stages for two years, this new building will house
the offices of the fisheries and forestry sectors, classrooms for training and
educational opportunities, and a community hall.
The estimated cost of construction is $2.1 million, with funds
coming from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans under the Marshall program,
from the provincial Secrétariat des affaires autochtones, and from Indian and
Northern Affairs Canada.
NEW CARLISLE -
Justice Jean Bécu, of the Québec Court, condemned former New Carlisle mayor
Barry Tennier to a four year sentence in relation to 11 sexual crimes committed
against six young boys between 1989 and 2003. The verdict was rendered on
January 9th at the New Carlisle Court House.
Barry Tennier has been detained since May 9th, 2003, a period that
counts double for someone who has not received a sentence, so sixteen months
must be subtracted from the time he must serve, which leaves him with 32 months.
The sentence must consequently be spent in a federal penitentiary.
At the end of November, the accused pleaded guilty to 18 of the 34
charges originally laid against him. Six of the charges dealt with “sexual
interference”, three with “invitation to sexual touching” and two with “sexual
exploitation”. A conditional stay of proceeding was declared on seven charges,
mostly related to sexual assault, since the three above-mentioned accusations
include that type of offense.