tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21184746.post114628529468409357..comments2023-10-26T04:30:03.752-04:00Comments on From Cork to Toronto: That softwood lumber dealMark Dowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399115211805036553noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21184746.post-1146367594266432212006-04-29T23:26:00.000-04:002006-04-29T23:26:00.000-04:00This article in the Globe claims Mulroney's call w...<A HREF="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060429.wxsoftwood-reconstruction29/BNStory/National/home" REL="nofollow">This article in the Globe claims Mulroney's call with Bush Sr. was a significant waypoint.</A> I also found it interesting that Wilkins appears to have kicked things up a notch - it's a bit of an indictment of Cellucci's term, he who was found so interesting with the Canadian media types.<BR/><BR/>I do see the point however of those who say would we like to see $4bn today or $5bn "someday" - and that money will not go to Ottawa but to those companies who paid the duties so only the taxable portion will accrue. The new deal is bad but the existing situation (US holding $5bn of Canadian money of which a big chunk could have gone to US lumber under the Byrd Amendment) was fairly disastrous.<BR/><BR/>This issue isn't really lumber per se, it's that we are in an agreement with a vastly bigger country for whom litigation is a delaying tactic rather than a dispute resolution mechanism. This will only change when the Government of Canada is willing to engage in negotiation in tandem with retaliatory export taxes and import duties.Mark Dowlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01399115211805036553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21184746.post-1146353538321297492006-04-29T19:32:00.000-04:002006-04-29T19:32:00.000-04:00Studio 2's Power Hour on TVO ended with Steve Paik...Studio 2's Power Hour on TVO ended with Steve Paikin interviewing a guy from the Canadian Lumber Council (hope I remembered that right) who said that of all the softwood deals negotiated in the last quarter of a century, this was the worst. Not only are Canadian lumber interests against it, but also American builders. And, as well, Ontario and maybe Quebec got the worst end of the stick of all the provinces. No surprise there.<BR/><BR/>Harper has improved Canada-US relations at the expense of the Canadian lumber industry. NAFTA is no longer valid, but as long as Canadian governments pretend that's not true, we will now be shafted in all aspects of that deal. We need a Canadian government willing to stand up for Canadians and their businesses, not filibuster like the previous government or capitulate in fear like this one. It's interesting that Harper, who apparently listens to Mulroney, would give in so quickly. I guess he wanted to prove to everyone he was right to seduce Emerson.<BR/><BR/>It was a very interesting interview.talk talk talk / Shireenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10453931641034885060noreply@blogger.com