Chat with the MLA

Recent cuts to the forestry industry, a youth employment program, and the local health boards has local MLA Mike Olscamp concerned about the direction the provincial government is headed in.

Silviculture cuts
The Conservative opposition MLA said private woodlot owners in the Tantramar region will certainly feel the effects of the recent cuts to the silviculture program under the province's new agreement. The cuts will mean more job losses in a sector that's already struggling, said Olscamp.
"This will likely mean they will be unable to prepare, plant and thin their lands - all this at a time when their ability to sell their product is severely limited in the forestry industry," he said.
Under the new agreement woodlot owners will have to put up 30 per cent of the cost instead of the 20 they previously paid, with the province paying the remaining 70 per cent. But with private woodlot owners experiencing hardship, job losses, increased operating costs and reduced rates for their products and services over the past few years, Olscamp said they will have a hard time absorbing more costs.
"They work hard to make a good living. . . the government shouldn't be kicking them when they're down," he said.
With the downturn in the industry, many forest workers have already left New Brunswick to find work elsewhere and the recent cuts will simply mean more job losses, said the MLA.
Olscamp said local woodlot owners are also growing increasingly concerned that continued cuts by the province could mean the "beginning of the end" for the marketing boards which they rely on to help them sell their product.

Summer job losses for teens
Olscamp said about six or seven summer jobs for local youth through the SEED program have been cut in the Tantramar region in 2008, a move that will "have a very pronounced effect on the volunteer groups, as well as the kids, who rely on these grants."
He said this area lost about 50 weeks from what it received last year from SEED, a program that helps connect non-profit groups with students who are moving on to post-secondary education. This means organizations such as the Canadian Cancer Society, the local libraries, the Canadian Red Cross, and museums will bear the brunt of the cuts.
"I think it was a wrong move to cut those programs," said Olscamp, noting that the SEED program is particularly beneficial to rural youth who don't have easy access to an abundance of summer jobs.

Restructuring of health care system
New Brunswick Health Minister Mike Murphy announced earlier this year that the province's eight regional health authorities will be replaced with two larger ones. This move is expected to eliminate the duplication of services that existed within the health authorities. The changes are to be implemented by Sept. 1, which will also see the new board members appointed, rather than elected, to the health authorities.
Olscamp said his greatest concern over this restructuring is that the Tantramar area will lose its voice for health care.
"I've always felt that we were well-represented through the South East Regional Health Authority through our local board members," he said. "But with the new design, I worry that if we don't have local representation on the new board, we may end up as the forgotten child."
The Tory MLA said he's been assured by the Minister that won't happen and that the future of the Sackville Memorial Hospital is secure. Overall, Olscamp is optimistic the government's new health plan could prove viable.

Rejuvenating high school trades
Olscamp, a former vocational teacher, says he's thrilled the government is bringing back the trades to New Brunswick schools. But the local MLA said he's still wary of the way in which the new plan will be implemented. A three-year plan to restructure and improve the school system's Skilled Trades and Technology Education (STTE) program was unveiled by the Liberals last month, an initiative that will increase the trade and technology course options at the high schoool level.
Olscamp said he's not satisfied enough resources will be available to students in rural schools, leaving them out of gaining the same opportunities as the kids in the larger cities.
"As a former vocational teacher, I'm happy that they're moving forward on reinstating the vocational program, but I have serious concerns with the model they're planning to use," he said.
He said he's pleased the government has committed to enhancing shop facilities throughout the province, but has concerns over the planned partnerships with the private sector for resources and on-the-job training. Olscamp said local contractors he's spoken to have reservations about whether they will be able to offer the opportunities the government hopes for.
"In a rural area where contractors are limited in numbers, a meaningful co-op might be more difficult," he said. "I'm just worried their co-op experience might not be as effective as it could be."
He said he'd like to see the government pour more money into in-school program offerings instead of relying on private industry to support the school system.
"Let's not bring back Mickey Mouse programming, let's bring back good stuff."

TRHS selected as 'model school'
Olscamp said he's pleased Tantramar Regional High School was one of five schools chosen to take part in the "model schools" program, an innovative three-year project that will pilot internationally-recognized best learning and teaching practices at the high school level.
TRHS was chosen because of its hands-on learning opportunities provided by the Tantramar Wetlands Centre and Olscamp said he's not surprised because he's always believed the wetlands education to be a model program. The schools will receive a total of $350,000 and the wetlands centre will be investing in resources that will help facilitate the program.

High-speed internet in Baie Verte
High-speed internet is finally on its way to the Baie Verte area, an initiative Olscamp said he's been working on for more than a year now. He said many rural areas of New Brunswick were left out of the loop, so to speak, when the Frank McKenna government brought in high-speed internet access across the province through broadband cable.
The MLA has been working hard to secure high-speed internet service for the rural community, saying they've been forced to use a slower dial-up service for their internet connection over the past few years. Because of the exorbitant cost of the cable, the MLA has been looking for other ways for Baie Verte residents to connect to high-speed and has found it through a Nova Scotia-based internet provider company Seaside. A high-speed signal from a tower across the Bay will be fed into people's homes via a cable box.
Olscamp said he's also working on finding a provider that could supply high-speed service to the King Street extension and Dorchester Cape area.
"It's essential in this day and age to have that service available," he said.