特朗普关税重创加拿大造纸业，Témiscaming镇居民拟回购工厂自救

受美国对加拿大征收高额关税影响，魁北克省Témiscaming镇的支柱企业RYAM造纸厂于2024年10月初宣布进行“无限期”的经济性关停 1。这一决定导致当地约360名员工大部分失业，作为该地区主要雇主地位的丧失使社区陷入困境，目前员工依靠政府提供的部分薪资救济维持生活 1。特朗普政府对包括木制品和纸制品在内的约280亿加元商品征收了高达50%的关税，尽管加拿大整体经济看似稳定，但木材和纸浆等特定行业遭受重创 1。

面对危机，当地居民正试图效仿1970年代的模式，争取政府支持以从美国母公司手中买回工厂 1。退休工程师Frank Dottori回忆称，1973年工人曾通过减薪10%成功收购工厂，他认为当前需要类似的大胆组织行动 1。然而，地方政府批评联邦政府的应对措施不足 1。工会领袖Stéphane Lefebvre指出，若多伦多或蒙特利尔出现同等比例失业，必将成为头条新闻并引发政府压力 1。

在援助政策方面，加拿大总理Mark Carney和安大略省省长Doug Ford宣布了近90亿加元（64亿美元）援助计划，主要针对钢铁和汽车业，而非林业 1。工业部长Mélanie Joly表示，政府已提供4亿加元支持农村偏远地区的林业部门 1。此外，当地居民希望借助即将举行的美国中期选举施压特朗普减轻关税，但上周豁免的部分关税并不涉及该厂产品 1。

The imposition of steep U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods has triggered an indefinite shutdown of the primary employer in Témiscaming, Quebec, leaving approximately 360 workers without jobs and casting doubt on the town’s future survival 1. American paper company RYAM announced in early October 2024 that it would halt operations at its mill for economic reasons, stripping the community of its main source of income and causing property values to plummet amid fears that Témiscaming could become a ghost town 1. The crisis is largely attributed to the Trump administration’s levying of duties as high as 50% on roughly C$28 billion worth of Canadian commodities, including wood and paper products 1.

Community members are now attempting to replicate a historic rescue strategy from the 1970s by seeking government assistance to buy back the facility from its U.S. parent company 1. Retired engineer Frank Dottori recalled how workers successfully acquired the plant in 1973 after agreeing to a 10% pay cut, arguing that similar bold organization is required today 1. While displaced employees currently rely on partial wage subsidies provided by the state, local union leader Stéphane Lefebvre contended that such widespread unemployment in major cities like Toronto or Montreal would dominate headlines and force a stronger governmental response 1.

Federal and provincial leaders have offered varying assessments of their support for the forestry sector, which critics argue is insufficient compared to aid directed elsewhere. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford recently unveiled a nearly C$9 billion (US$6.4 billion) package focused primarily on steel and automotive industries rather than forestry 1. In contrast, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly stated that the government has already allocated C$400 million to support rural and remote forestry communities 1. Local residents hope that upcoming U.S. midterm elections will pressure Washington into reducing these tariffs, though recent exemptions granted last week did not cover the specific products manufactured at the Témiscaming mill 1.