When it comes to what ultimately lies behind Crofton’s impending closure, previous BC Liberal and NDP governments past and present all have much to answer for. Both were at the helm as tumultuous changes rocked BC’s forestry sector. And both did little of consequence in response. The result is not only pain for workers and their families, but a big economic hit for local government. …The first change that governments ignored was the disintegration of what were once highly integrated forest companies. At one point, each of B.C.’s three remaining coastal pulp mills — Crofton, Harmac and Howe Sound — were part of a continuous production chain owned by the same company. In the case of Harmac and Crofton, that company was MacMillan Bloedel, while Howe Sound’s pulp mill was co-owned by Canfor. With integrated companies, all aspects of production from the tree standing in the forest to final products were linked.