Soft Wood Lumber Dispute

[Matt]

http://sympaticomsn.ctv.ca/servlet/Article...ood_deal_060426

 

Canada, U.S. reach framework softwood agreement

 

CTV.ca News Staff

 

CTV News has learned there has been a major breakthrough in the decades-old softwood lumber dispute.

 

Canada and the U.S. have agreed to a framework deal to end the contentious issue during around-the-clock negotiations between Michael Wilson, the ambassador to the United States and Susan Schwab, the U.S. trade representative, CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife reported Wednesday afternoon.

 

As part of the agreement, Canadian lumber firms would be held to a 34 per cent share of softwood lumber in the U.S. market, which is roughly Canada's current share.

 

The U.S. would return about 78 per cent of the $5 billion it collected in anti-dumping and countervailing duties beginning in 2002.

 

However, before there is a full agreement, Prime Minister Stephen Harper will need to get the approval of the provinces where the major lumber companies are based.

 

"He'll have to negotiate how this 34 per cent of the quota will be distributed amongst the provinces, whether the provinces can barter, can sell or buy quotas, and there will have to be a decision on how the billions of dollars returned to Canada are redistributed amongst the various provinces and lumber companies," Fife said.

 

An announcement confirming the details is expected later Wednesday.

 

The U.S. had been pushing for a deal by Thursday.

 

Wednesday would have been the last day Washington can file a final challenge against a NAFTA ruling that orders an end to countervailing duties against Canadian lumber imports.

 

I don't think this good enough, all the money should be returned and there should be no cap on this, NAFTA is on our side, we should just hold out until we get the best deal for us.

[garsk]

wooo hooo for Harper? i mean, he has already stated a new law for accountability for the Fed's, has started telling people that he is going to cut the GST, and now this. does this mean he might acctually come through with the stuff he promised for us? only time will tell, and i am not holding my breath.

 

 

i will mark this one up for a victory from the harper youth.

[Matt]

How is this a victory? Even the lumber industry is saying this is a bad deal. Anything less than what we had before would be a loss if you ask me. What the U.S. did went against free-trade, and they have lost on this issue before, Bush wasn't the first president to try this, so they shouldn't get away with this this time either.

[rebellious_L]

Yeah, Harper did nothing. The NAFTA board made a ruling and the U.S. really has no choice but to back down. As much as I want this to end because it has been going on for far too long, I think we should hold out for a better deal.

[garsk]

yeah, i know Harper did nothing, i was just joking. Personally, i think it took so long because the Republicans didnt want to deal with the last two Liberal governments. Hopefully in the end the people who work in the soft wood lumber industry win. they need a good win now more then ever.

[Matt]

I think if we wait, we'll get a better deal. The American Lumber industry is talking about looking for other sources of soft wood lumber if this deal goes through, I assume deal wise, so after the 34 percent cap was maxed out they still couldn't afford American lumber, so they would have to find somewhere else with cheap lumber.

[glo]

I think if we wait, we'll get a better deal. The American Lumber industry is talking about looking for other sources of soft wood lumber if this deal goes through, I assume deal wise, so after the 34 percent cap was maxed out they still couldn't afford American lumber, so they would have to find somewhere else with cheap lumber.

I think you hit it on the head right there. The American gov was getting tired of the liberals not progressing in any direction but now... We shall not be ignored!

I think it's a small victory that SOMETHING'S happening.

[Matt]

Well I actually think the deal we got wasn't all that great. I mean, it's good when our economy is stellar like it is right now, but what happens when it goes sour? Then the tariffs return, and selling things at a low price is a good way to get back on your feet quick.

[theothersideofnowhere]

we sold out to the States. We, as Canadians, rant against how stupid Bush is and then we go ahead and elect Harper as our Prime Minister.

[supercanuk]

we sold out to the States. We, as Canadians, rant against how stupid Bush is and then we go ahead and elect Harper as our Prime Minister.

Exactly. Harper fucked over the lumber industry by saying he'd "deal with it" and basically we lost this entire fight. They owe is fucking money and we caved for the sake of two dumb fuck idealogoues who both need to get kicked out of office..

rant done, sorry lol..