Industry Minister David Emerson said David Wilkins’ comments, are hypocritical because they suggest Canada hasn’t been serious about negotiating. The minister said Canadians may need to start gearing up for a trade war with the United States. (338 words) More …
The U.S. courts have ruled that Canada is entitled to every penny of the more than $5 billion dollars in tariffs illegally collected by the U.S. since early 2002. Canada’s legal position on the trade dispute is exceedingly strong, having been supported by numerous court victories over the years. (491 words) More …
But some timber execs have unburdened themselves to union members, claims Terry Tate, a financial secretary with the United Steelworkers in Williams Lake. “They’re telling us behind closed doors that this deal is horrible.” (230 words) More …
In addition to export charges being levied, there is a complex system of export quota reductions that is tied to price as well. Both export charges and quota reductions are calculated using the monthly average price as determined by Random Lengths. (306 words) More …
Very shortly, sawmills and producers in many of the more than 300 forestry-dependent communities across the country will see the return of more than C$5 billion dollars, breathing new life into the sector at this crucial time. (388 words) More …
For my own part, while I recognized the concerns being promoted by Orchard and his supporters as being legitimate, at the time I felt that NAFTA did not need extraordinary focus. For all the talk of NAFTA Chapter 11 and its impact on Canada’s resource exportation, there was always Chapter 22 – termination – to lean back on. My thinking was that responsible government, held in check by the people who vote them in, would never trade away Canada’s sovereignty for fear of the public backlash. (471 words) More …
Canada’s bargaining position was strong; our conditions were clear; and this agreement delivers. It’s a good deal that resolves this long-standing dispute and allows us to move on. Prime Minister Stephen Harper (597 words) More …
May 11 (Les Whittington, Toronto Star) U.S. `gave up nothing’ on softwood After a two-week study of the draft deal meant to end decades of cross-border friction, lumber producers have decided to pull out all the stops to try to change the agreement, which they see as a danger to free trade and thousands of industry jobs. (501 words) More …
One BC forest company rep was more honest. He said the Harper government would probably have been uninterested in pursuing the legal fight any longer in the face of pressure from the White House. In the end though, we should remember the words of former BC chief bureaucrat Doug McArthur. After about a year, he said, especially if the price of lumber falls, Canadian firms will be screaming to get out of it. Then what? (225 words) More …
Liberal trade critic Dominic Leblanc said the Conservatives appear willing to sell out Canadian lumber companies, provinces and communities to appease the White House. (155 words) More …
How much substance of the impending “framework” leaked to press and to market participants? Why do the Vancouver Sun and other media outlets have draft copies of the proposed agreement? Who else has had early access to this material information, an insider’s view that would allow a so informed speculator to turn some quick profits? (388 words) More …
[US Ambassador] Wilkins called on Canada to resume negotiations rather than trade litigation to settle the softwood dispute, which has escalated following Washington’s announcement that it would ignore a NAFTA ruling in Canada’s favour. (314 words) More …
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