THUNDER BAY, ON - May 15, 2009 - OTTAWA — Member of Parliament John Rafferty (Thunder Bay – Rainy River) attacked the Harper government today for not offering assistance to small businesses and suppliers affected by the bankruptcy filings of AbitibiBowater and Buchanan Forest Products.
 
Rafferty rose in Question Period and cited the case of TNM Logging in Atikokan, which stopped receiving payments for services because of AbitibiBowater’s bankruptcy protection status, and asked the following question; “Mr. Speaker, Bankruptcy laws protect large companies like Abitibi and Buchanan, but what is this government doing to protect small businesses that are being hammered in this forestry crisis?”

Rafferty and his fellow New Democrat caucus member Bruce Hyer (Thunder Bay –Superior North), have heard recently from local small business owners which have been short-changed by both AbitibiBowater and Buchanan Forestry Products.  “The crisis has hit communities, workers, pensioners, and now small business.  We are working hard so that all these groups can access funds they may be owed.”

The two MP’s will be holding a joint townhall meeting to deal with the forestry crisis and the AbitibiBowater Bankruptcy at 6:30pm on Friday May 22nd at the Da Vinci Centre in the Thunder Bay.  Rafferty will also be hosting a meeting in Fort Frances at La Place Rendez-Vous on May 21st.