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notyoueither
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of naught
Aug 2001
time: 22:37
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http://www.canada.com/national/stor...10-f3d9ed05925f
quote:
Key NAFTA softwood ruling favours Canada
Sandra Cordon
Canadian Press
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
OTTAWA -- Canada is claiming a major victory in the softwood lumber dispute with the U.S. following a key NAFTA panel ruling, and is demanding quick repayment of billions of dollars in penalties collected by Washington.
An extraordinary challenge panel under the North American Free Trade Agreement has dismissed American claims that an earlier NAFTA ruling in favour of Canada violated trade rules.
Canadian lumber industry spokesmen are already claiming this is the final blow that should end the dispute and are demanding quick return of the $5 billion in penalties so far paid to Washington.
But Washington quickly signalled isn't giving up the fight.
The U.S. industry has claimed that Canadian producers are unfairly subsidized through low fees paid to governments for timber - a claim the Canadian industry has long denied.
''We are extremely pleased that the (panel) dismissed the claims of the United States,'' Trade Minister Jim Peterson said in a statement.
''This is a binding decision that clearly eliminates the basis for U.S.-imposed duties on Canadian softwood lumber.
''We fully expect the United States to abide by this ruling, stop collecting duties and refund the duties collected over the past three years.''
Trade officials said they hope Wednesday's win will hasten a negotiated end to the dispute that began more than four years ago and has seriously threatened Canada's $10-billion softwood export sector.
But Washington isn't accepting that conclusion, insisting more negotiations are needed before the longrunning dispute can be wrapped up.
''We are, of course, disappointed with the (panel's) decision, but it will have no impact on the antidumping and countervailing duty orders,'' said Neena Moorjani, press secretary for the U.S. Trade Representative, Rob Portman.
''We continue to have concerns about Canadian pricing and forestry practices. We believe that a negotiated solution is in the best interests of both the United States and Canada, and that litigation will not resolve the dispute.''
Peterson and Portman, his American counterpart, have resumed talks aimed at negotiating a solution to the softwood dispute. They're expected to meet again as early as next week.
A trade official said the Americans still have some options outside NAFTA, including a formal constitutional challenge.
Canada has been fighting the combined countervail and antidumping duties through legal channels as well as in high-level negotiations since Washington began collecting duties in 2002.
Although Canada has won many of legal battles under the NAFTA, as well as at the World Trade Organization, that has had little real effect in the dispute.
Still, it has helped to lower the value of the combined duties paid by lumber exporters down to about 21 per cent from their high of 27 per cent when duties were first imposed in May 2002.
That's when the U.S. Commerce Department first accepted American lumber producers' claims that Canadian softwood was unfairly subsidized.
Since then, trade officials and politicians from both countries have tried to negotiate a new softwood deal, most recently meeting in late July with plans to resume talks in Ottawa later this month.
Canadian producers sell about $10 billion worth of spruce, pine and fir lumber a year to the U.S. home-construction and renovation sectors.
© The Canadian Press 2005 |
quote:
We believe that a negotiated solution is in the best interests of both the United States and Canada, and that litigation will not resolve the dispute. |
IOWs, 'we get our asses handed to us everytime this goes before a competent body, therefore please give in and agree to trade restrictions.'
NOT!
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Riesstiu IV
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We don't want any filthy pinko commie lumber from Canada. I'll gladly take burnt, unstable, and termite infested Texas lumber over bleeding heart liberal lumber from Canada!
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Flubber
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With a view of the Rockies
Aug 2000
time: 22:37
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Maybe Canada should place an export duty on all our oil and natural gas flowing into the US-- If the US can ignore NAFTA rules to rake off additional money, why can't we??
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notyoueither
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of naught
Aug 2001
time: 22:37
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http://www.canada.com/news/national...b7-4561195e2d67
quote:
Campbell urges PM to turn up heat on U.S. in softwood trade war
Judy Monchuk
Canadian Press
Friday, August 12, 2005
BANFF, Alta. (CP) - B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell has told Prime Minister Paul Martin to push back against the United States in the softwood lumber dispute - and that could include threatening to withhold resources.
"I think Canada has to be very firm and remind the Americans of our mutual benefit from trade," Campbell said Friday after speaking with Martin on Thursday night. "My message to the prime minister is to take this to the highest level and point this out," Campbell said as provincial and territorial leaders wrapped up three days of meetings.
Campbell said Martin has agreed to speak with U.S. President George W. Bush and try to get back $5 billion in penalties illegally collected by Washington in countervail and anti-dumping duties.
Campbell was frustrated after a fruitless meeting with U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins on Thursday. Wilkins told the premiers the United States does not accept Wednesday's ruling from a North American Free Trade panel which unanimously ruled in Canada's favour.
Campbell said it's time the Americans were reminded that they rely on Canada for energy.
"We reminded the ambassador that the United States is not the only jurisdiction that wants our energy resources," said Campbell. "We have enormous opportunities across the Asia-Pacific in China, India."
But Alberta Premier Ralph Klein said he has no interest in holding back energy to force the Americans to deal with the softwood dispute.
"If we start to use measures that are deemed to be vindictive, that only creates vindictiveness on the other side and it starts to escalate," said Klein.
Several premiers, including Campbell, whose province is most impacted by the ongoing trade war, have expressed frustration over the stalemate. Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty warned the U.S. ambassador that failing to live up to NAFTA could affect how ordinary Canadians view the U.S.
Campbell stressed the problem again Friday: "How can you build long-term relationships if they don't respect the laws they signed?"
Wilkins agreed to take the premiers' concerns back to Washington, but said the U.S. wants a negotiated settlement to the dispute.
"We've gone the legal route, but we've taken this the extent of the NAFTA legal remedies. We kept winning and we were successful in the end with a unanimous decision."
© The Canadian Press 2005 |
The issue is rapidly growing in importance outside of BC and the other forestry producers.
Can the Yanks be dealt with at their word?
McGuinty would be the one to watch.
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Flubber
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With a view of the Rockies
Aug 2000
time: 22:37
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You have to love the US trade policy . .. generally "pro-free trade" UNLESS the Chines want their oil assets or a ruling gets made they don't like etc etc..... Its actually pretty easy to get a protectionist type measure in place.
The good thing for Canada right now is that a lot of our exports are in good demand right now. We still absolutely do not want any sort of trade war with the US (everybody loses) but a free trade deal is laughable if the US will ignore a consistent and unchanging series of rulings against them.
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11-08-2005 07:38
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