Too much read into ACA/Maple Lodge meeting: Blenkharn

New Minas, NS - The CEO and chair of the board of directors for ACA Co-operative Limited says some people are reading too much into a meeting that took place Wednesday (March 11) among representatives of the Department of Economic and Rural Development, ACA officials and representatives of Maple Lodge Farms Limited of Ontario.

Ian Blenkharn said the provinces public accounts committee had a session Wednesday morning (March 11) at the legislature in Halifax. The opposition parties wanted a chance to question government on ACA and its subsidiary, Eastern Protein, which has ceased operations and is under creditor protection until early April. He said the questioning related to the $3.5 million loan to the company from the province.

Blenkharn said Andy Hare of the provincial Department of Economic and Rural Development told the gathering he would be meeting with Maple Lodge representatives and ACA officials later in the day. Blenkharn said Hare had requested a meeting the next time Maple Lodge officials were in the province. It was simply an opportunity for government representatives to put a face to a name, he said in regard to Maple Lodge officials. It was nothing more and nothing less.

Blenkharn said there was no discussion of government funding during the meeting, but it was a chance for the department to hear from Maple Lodge the same information already shared by ACA. He said some media representatives read more into the meeting than what was actually going on, an introductory conversation among the three parties.

ACA announced in late January that it would be filing for creditor protection for the Eastern Protein subsidiary. The plant has since ceased operations and the period of protection has been extended. Changes announced at that time resulted in the layoff of 75 unionized employees at ACAs primary processing plant in New Minas, the permanent loss of 187 union positions at Eastern Protein and 40 non-union positions at ACA and Eastern Protein.

A proposal is being developed to offer creditors, including workers represented by the Canadian Auto Workers Union, who are owed approximately $1.3 million in severance, vacation and sick pay. This will probably involve an offer being made for a certain percentage of every dollar owed. Creditors will have a chance to vote whether or not to accept the offer. The Advertiser