Mill ‘very unlikely’ to reopen: Premier Holt
About 100 people braved the crisp autumn temperatures Friday morning, Oct. 16, to rally in support of AV Nackawic mill workers and their families as the Nov. 4 shutdown approaches.
Workers, families, union representatives, and political leaders gathered for the rally, marching from the Nackawic Public Library to the Big Axe along the waterfront and chanting, “Protect our Canadian jobs.”
“We are looking for solutions that protect jobs for people and forestry,” New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt told the River Valley Sun.
When asked how likely the mill was to reopen, Holt answered, “Very unlikely.”
Unifor organized the rally as part of its national Forestry Day of Action, bringing together a community facing an uncertain future.
One of the morning’s most emotional moments came when Tobique-Mactaquac MP Richard Bragdon fought back tears as he recalled the mill’s 2005 closure and its impact on his father.
“What does a man do when this is all that he’s done from the age of 17?” Bragdon recalled his father asking.
Despite the uncertainty, Bragdon encouraged the community to remain united.
“Hold on to hope, stay together, and we’ll get to the other side,” he said.
The planned shutdown will affect approximately 350 workers, with the impact reaching well beyond the mill and into surrounding communities.
Stay tuned to the River Valley Sun for more coverage of the rally and the future of the AV Nackawic mill.
