Tree Talk Blog

Guest Blogger

Catherine Cobden, Executive Vice President, FPAC

​It was an extremely proud moment to be in Stockholm to witness a Canadian, Dr. Derek Gray accept the prestigious Marcus Wallenberg prize from the King of Sweden.  The prize is an international award – often referred to as the Nobel Prize for forest industry research – that has been established to “recognize, encourage and stimulate path-breaking scientific achievements”.  

The first sentence on our website states, “The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) is the voice of Canada’s wood, pulp and paper producers nationally and internationally in government, trade, and environmental affairs.”

There are similar national organizations representing the forest sector around the world.  During my first year at FPAC, I’ve had the privilege to meet and get to know some of the leaders of the forest product associations from Japan, Brazil, the United States, Europe, and elsewhere.

When I tell people about new forest products being produced in Canada, I sometimes say that fibre from a tree grown in Canada this year might show up in a costume of a Bollywood movie next year.   I use this example to demonstrate both the international reach of our industry and the innovative new uses of Canada’s forest products.

There is a town in New Brunswick which claims to have the world’s largest axe and I don’t think I can prove them wrong.  I’ll tell you where it is and more about it in a minute.

Last month I visited Fredericton, New Brunswick as part of our FPAC 100^th anniversary speaking tour.  I was invited by my friend Mark Arsenault, president and CEO of the New Brunswick Forest Products Association (NBFPA), to participate in their semi-annual meeting of members. . In preparation for that meeting I did a little research about New Brunswick and the forest sector in that province.

​What is the connection between the African country of Algeria and the history of Canada’s lumber industry?

Algeria,Africa’s largest country, is located on the Mediterranean Sea and reaches south into the Sahara.  With 37 million people, Algeria has a slightly larger population than Canada and is a member of OPEC based on its oil and natural gas economy.