Nechako Lakes MLA and leader of the BC Conservative Party John Rustad's unveiling of his plans for the forestry sector from Vanderhoof Sept. 14 received heavy criticism from a local council member who called it nothing more than a photo op.

Rustad criticized the BC NDP for its forestry policies, saying a provincial Conservative government would establish areas that can be logged while replacing stumpage with a value-added end product tax and simplifying obtaining logging permits. 

But longtime Vanderhoof municipal councillor Brian Frenkel has criticized  Rustad's appearance in Vanderhoof, to make the announcement, for being tone-deaf.

Frenkel said Rustad, as the MLA for the area, had not reached out to Vanderhoof Mayor Kevin Moutray or the local government to offer any support for transition plans following the announcement of Canfor's Plateau mill closure on Sept. 4. 

Frenkel blasted Rustad for using the location of the sawmill for a photo opportunity. 

"I'm at a loss for words," Frenkel said in a Sept. 14 post on Facebook (now Meta). 

"As our community struggles to deal with the path forward we are working and talking to as many folks who have offered support - ministers, deputy ministers, government staff and industry. However our MLA has failed to reach out to our mayor and offer his support, thoughts or a path forward. But yet he shows up for a photo op today at Canfor Plateau to unveil his party's forestry policy. Still no contact with our mayor today. Unbelievable, wouldn't he want know what the community of Vanderhoof was thinking?"

Rustad was previously criticized by constituents in his riding for neglecting local voices and dropping out of the all candidates debate organized by the Vanderhoof Chamber of Commerce.