Forestry Revival - The Revolution in Canadas Forest Industry

by namsot (student)

Forestry Revival - The Revolution in Canada’s Forest Industry

Summary

Analysts are saying the Canadian forestry industry is poised for growth. Although the industry has long been an underdog, many factors are converging to support higher prices in the years ahead. Supply-side constraints, such as the implications of the mountain pine beetle in western Canada, will help lift the prices of lumber later in 2011. In addition to this, high timber demands from the U.S. and Asia will further increase the price of Canadian lumber. These implementations will bring hefty profits to both Canada’s forestry industry and lumber investors. The U.S. currently holds 25% of Canada’s lumber demand due to its nationwide home remodeling projects. These projects call for building homes in replace for those lost to natural disasters, and this figure is expected to rise in 2011. Asia is the other major importer of Canadian lumber, in demand for over 34% of Canada’s export. This export is fed mainly to China and Japan. In China, the lumber is used for industrial applications and in 70% of consumer housing development, whereas Japan (already receiving 38% of its softwood import from Canada) will require even more lumber to structurally rebuild its cities after tsunami devastations. Investors are encouraging Canada to pour more institutional funds into timberlands while trading globally to maximize benefits. Timber has traditionally been a good barrier against inflation and has provided stable investment returns for shareholders.

Analysis

In my opinion this major Canadian forestry ‘revival’ has come as a great advantage to Canada’s economy, however it was bound to happen at some point in the near future. The article states that Canada’s forestry industry has always been an ‘underdog’ to its other primary industries, providing employment to less than 1.9% of Canada’s workforce. However this figure encompasses tens of thousands of jobs. In addition to this, forestry is a primary industry, meaning it provides many more job opportunities for secondary and tertiary industries that are based on wood products. In reality, this industry is of major Importance to Canadians because of its direct involvement with its environment and economy. Canadian forestry hauls in a whopping 73 046 million dollars in revenue (based on 2001 data), and forests cover close to half (4 187 820 km2 or 42%) of Canada’s total area. As for its environmental impacts, logging methods and ecologic hazards could paint a bleak future for Canadian forests. Although a major economic backbone, all forests are prone to forest fires, pest attacks, acid rain, and clear-cutting – a damaging yet cheap method of harvesting wood. When forests are endangered by such factors, logging companies must immediately minimize their operations and hope for the best. If today’s current generation deplete Canada’s natural resources, we will have lost the precious gifts which Mother Nature had blessed upon our country millions upon millions of years ago. To prevent this, we, as Canadians, must put behind our financial greed and do all we can to live a ‘green’ lifestyle.

This is a preview of the whole essay

Lumber is finally paying off for its investors due to high demands and low supplies of wood products. This uneven balance enables the industry to charge higher prices for its products. Right now we see high demands from mainly the U.S., China, and Japan who wish to employ lumber in their construction/reconstruction efforts. For example, Japan had recently been hit by two earthquakes and a massive tsunami, and is now suffering major economic losses. These earthquakes occurred because Japan sits in a conjuncture of four tectonic plates: the Eurasian plate, the North American plate, the Philippine Sea plate, and the Pacific plate. These plates are always in movement because of the convection currents beneath earth’s surface. When these plates collided, earthquakes were unleashed and tsunamis were created, destroying thousands of buildings in Japan. In an effort to cope with this massive loss, Japan has already started importing massive amounts of Canadian timber to build new homes in the place of lost ones. Wood will always be the material of choice for residential construction because of its durability, longevity, and relatively low costs. This means that there will always be a constant demand for wood products either in construction or for paper products.

Article 2 – The Downside of ‘Canadian Experience’

Summary

Judy Cong was an experienced electronic engineer who lived a happy life near her parents back in China. Upon immigrating to Canada she had promised to sponsor her parent’s immigration as well. A decade has passed since her arrival to Canada; the right side of her face is now paralyzed because of a brain tumor, her mother has since died, she has lost all hopes of embracing her father again, and she is only supported by her husband’s income. Judy is one of 16 immigrants who will share their painful newcomer stories at City Hall on behalf of the Mennonite New Life Centre for immigrants and refugees.

Many newcomers to Canada quickly familiarize themselves with the term ‘Canadian Experience’. “If you don’t have Canadian Experience or Canadian education, your fate is security guard or construction.” (The Downside of ‘Canadian Experience’ 1). Others agree that Canada can be defined as the world’s kitchen sink – draining the Third World’s best brains and only being interested in their brawn once they get here. Thousands of people leave behind good lives in their own countries in hopes of a fresh start in Canada, only to find themselves working second-rate jobs. While Europe warns its immigrants that they’ll suffer by moving there, Canada seems to lure others in with fake hopes. The group of 16 speakers intends to advocate the voices of New Canadians, touching the hearts of others with their agonizing stories of worthlessness and despair. Many who have heard their stories already have faith in the powerful speeches that will be delivered at City Hall.

Analysis

This article, found in the Toronto Star relates to the dark side of the Canadian Immigration system, and how tough it is for immigrants to make a fair living nowadays. Although Canada has always been portrayed as a ‘Cultural Mosaic’, full of multiculturalism and without language barriers, new immigrants must persevere through a variety of obstacles before establishing a decent life in this country. Amongst these obstacles lie stubborn immigration laws, a demanding points system, and false advertising on behalf of Canadian businesses. There are three main classes of immigrants in Canada, and those consist of Economic immigrants, Family immigrants, and Refugees. Economic immigrants include skilled workers and businesspeople; they must score highly on a points system in order to be granted approval into Canada. When an economic immigrant establishes a living in Canada, he or she can then call over family members from another country and sponsor their immigration. In Judy Cong’s case, she could not sponsor her parent’s immigration because she is not working; only her husband is. Another immigrant, Endrit Mullisi, left a great life in Albania in hopes for an even better life in Canada. Since then he has discovered that although he is a good candidate for many jobs (smart, experienced, and fluent in English) – he will only find a part-time job as a volunteer for recreation centers. Mullisi “stumbled over a hidden truth of many job postings in Canada. They are cosmetic; the boss already has hired internally.”

In my opinion, I find it very unfair for citizens with a Canadian education to be treated more highly than immigrants when it comes to job opportunities. Thousands of skilled immigrants come to Canada each year, most of them having received a thorough post-secondary education in their own country – yet they are not given a fair chance in the workforce. I find it totally unfair that there are people out there, working their butts off to be eligible to apply for an immigration, only to find that they’ve been lured into a trap. After fighting their way through hardships and into Canada, they find themselves small and powerless. I think that Canada should help these people find jobs suitable to their specializations – this would ultimately help immigrants help our Canadian economy as a whole. After all, Canada embraces immigrants because they contribute to both the population and the economy.

Article 3 – Canada Should Aim Higher

Summary

Canadian “troops are risking their lives- in Afghanistan to support democracy and stability, and in Libya to thwart mass murder.” We are a supporting backbone for Haiti, and Canada is raising funds for mom-and-child health care in poor countries. Once elected, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said that Canada’s global involvement is about “providing leadership on global issues, stepping up to the plate, doing good when good is required.” 3 Although Canada has always been involved with key events, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff believes that we could do more in the world. Canada’s United Nations profile used to be stronger, Canadian peacekeepers once served around the world, and foreign aid was much more generous back in the times of older Prime Ministers. Now, Canada focuses on hitting trade deals rather than providing generous aid. With all of Canada’s multiculturalism and diverse global connections, we should be able to do more in the world around us.

The Liberal party of Canada says that Stephen Harper’s Consevatives follow geopolitical examples set by the U.S., and that the party thinks too highly of its Afghan and Haitian relief efforts. Apparently, Harper’s main priorities have been to strengthen ties with Washington, to invest in our military, to freeze foreign aid funds, and to lean towards Latin American affairs rather than those in poorer African states. For Canadians who favor an activist and global agenda, the Liberal regime is the best choice. Ignatieff promises to help Canada become a voice amongst world conflicts, while investing in foreign aid and improving government-citizen relationships. Finally, the Liberals promise to forge deeper contacts with China, India, and other upcoming economic powers that Canada’s current government has neglected. Canadian citizens will be the deciding factor of whether or not Canada is living up to its 21st century duties; “it’s about punching above our weight.” (Cooke A22)

Inglis, Kim. “Forestry Revival.” National Post 29 April 2011: FP8. Print.

Porter, Catherine. “The downside of ‘Canadian experience’.” Toronto Star 26 April 2011: A10. Print.

Cooke, Michael. “Canada should aim higher.” Toronto Star 23 April 2011: A22. Print