Reverend Blair said:
"FOLD?" Against what? Corporal Winston and The Official Hand-Grenade??? :roll:
Softwodd Lumber Dispute
- Thread starter Reverend Blair
- Start date
"FOLD?" Against what? Corporal Winston and The Official Hand-Grenade??? :roll:
RE: Softwodd Lumber Dispu
Ten Packs, if we went to the eastern seaboard and California and said that if they didn't tell their federal government to drop illegal softwood tariffs, then all of their energy would cost more, those tariffs would disappear in a hurry. There are lots of people and lots of industry in those places
Ten Packs, if we went to the eastern seaboard and California and said that if they didn't tell their federal government to drop illegal softwood tariffs, then all of their energy would cost more, those tariffs would disappear in a hurry. There are lots of people and lots of industry in those places
Since the US is ignoring the requirements of one major international treaty - the NAFTA agreement, Canada should retaliate by ignoring the terms of another international agreement - The Columbia River Agreement.
I think if we reduced the mighty Columbia river to a trickle through the 12 Hydro Electric dams that supply power to the Western Grid in Washington and Oregon states - some time after the lights go (or air conditioners) out in Silicon Valley, Los Angeles and San Franciso it might get their attention. Couple this with BC Hydro simultaneously suspending power sales to the US - you have the makings of a major grid failure.
I think if we reduced the mighty Columbia river to a trickle through the 12 Hydro Electric dams that supply power to the Western Grid in Washington and Oregon states - some time after the lights go (or air conditioners) out in Silicon Valley, Los Angeles and San Franciso it might get their attention. Couple this with BC Hydro simultaneously suspending power sales to the US - you have the makings of a major grid failure.
Its very clear that the US has pulled out of NAFTA This means once again our energy resources are ours we have the ability to decide whats done with them now 
They should be directed to making life better for Canadians and secure us in our energy supply .What every responsible Canadian citizen should do is ask there MP's to stand up and give us direction that everybody can be proud of .Doing this also has the benifit of providing a real security against terrorism if were not involving ourselves in other nations affairs the less likely we are to be attacked :wink:
They should be directed to making life better for Canadians and secure us in our energy supply .What every responsible Canadian citizen should do is ask there MP's to stand up and give us direction that everybody can be proud of .Doing this also has the benifit of providing a real security against terrorism if were not involving ourselves in other nations affairs the less likely we are to be attacked :wink:There was a political cartoon in the Abbotsford Times yesterday, I can't find it but it went like this:
The Canada-US Casket
Because you care about relations.
Now picture an open casket with NAFTA written on the side of it, pretty girl sitting on top of casket and a special notation at the bottom:
* Available only in softwood
Gawd I laughed, even though it's really not funny.
The Canada-US Casket
Because you care about relations.
Now picture an open casket with NAFTA written on the side of it, pretty girl sitting on top of casket and a special notation at the bottom:
* Available only in softwood
Gawd I laughed, even though it's really not funny.
RE: Softwodd Lumber Dispu
WINNIPEG (Reuters) - The United States and Canada engaged in verbal sparring over their softwood lumber trade dispute on Friday but both sides appeared to recognize the difficulty of tit-for-tat retaliation.
U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins raised the ire of Canadian cabinet ministers by urging in remarks published on Friday in the Ottawa Citizen that Canadian leaders should stop their "emotional tirades" and get back to negotiating.
Canadian Industry Minister David Emerson, a former forestry executive, accused him of hypocrisy and said the United States was acting like a bully.
It all stems from an August 10 decision against the United States under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which Ottawa says demands an end to U.S. softwood duties.
Washington counters that the NAFTA ruling concerned a 2002 finding and that a subsequent trade body's finding in 2004 still allows duties on Canadian lumber. It says both NAFTA and the World Trade Organization (WTO) recognize that Canadian softwood, used in building houses, is subsidized.
"Emotional press conferences are not going to settle the issue," Wilkins was quoted as saying. "Canada needs to come back to the table. We need to close the door, roll up our sleeves and negotiate as need be, with good faith, and bring finality to it."
Speaking before a scheduled cabinet meeting, Emerson countered: "I respect Ambassador Wilkins but find his response a little hypocritical. We've been negotiating. I've been involved in negotiations for five years."
Referring to a toss of the coin, he said the American attitude seems to be, "Heads they win, tails we lose."
Upon seeing the U.S. response to the August 10 NAFTA decision, Canadian International Trade Minister Peterson had canceled negotiations which had been set for Ottawa last week, but he said on Friday he was open to a long-term resolution.
However, Peterson said: "I think the message the ambassador should be delivering to Washington is that they should not confuse emotion with commitment and determination by Canadians to ensure that the NAFTA is respected."
He added: "The rule of law must be respected, and that does not involve trade wars. It involves honoring decisions of NAFTA panels."
With both ministers having talked about possible retaliation, Wilkins said in his remarks that a trade war was in nobody's interest, especially with Canada running a large trade surplus with the United States.
Though Emerson has rattled the saber the loudest, he also voiced frustration with an unwillingness within Canada to endure the pain that retaliation sometimes entails.
"Every time we get into a discussion about what Canada can do to retaliate, as soon as you name a sector or a particular target of retaliation, the divisions -- the regional divisions, the sector divisions -- spring up in Canada," he said.
"Candidly, Canadians have to decide as a small trading economy, are we going to stand together, are we going to unite, are we going to be stronger than the sum of our parts, or are we going to be endlessly bickering amongst ourselves and allowing the bully to basically mop the floor with us."
Wilkins says the two sides could for starters discuss the implications of the latest ruling.
*** Sorry I had to print whole article as for some reason link would not work from Reuters end, it just went to no such story page :scratch: ***
WINNIPEG (Reuters) - The United States and Canada engaged in verbal sparring over their softwood lumber trade dispute on Friday but both sides appeared to recognize the difficulty of tit-for-tat retaliation.
U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins raised the ire of Canadian cabinet ministers by urging in remarks published on Friday in the Ottawa Citizen that Canadian leaders should stop their "emotional tirades" and get back to negotiating.
Canadian Industry Minister David Emerson, a former forestry executive, accused him of hypocrisy and said the United States was acting like a bully.
It all stems from an August 10 decision against the United States under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which Ottawa says demands an end to U.S. softwood duties.
Washington counters that the NAFTA ruling concerned a 2002 finding and that a subsequent trade body's finding in 2004 still allows duties on Canadian lumber. It says both NAFTA and the World Trade Organization (WTO) recognize that Canadian softwood, used in building houses, is subsidized.
"Emotional press conferences are not going to settle the issue," Wilkins was quoted as saying. "Canada needs to come back to the table. We need to close the door, roll up our sleeves and negotiate as need be, with good faith, and bring finality to it."
Speaking before a scheduled cabinet meeting, Emerson countered: "I respect Ambassador Wilkins but find his response a little hypocritical. We've been negotiating. I've been involved in negotiations for five years."
Referring to a toss of the coin, he said the American attitude seems to be, "Heads they win, tails we lose."
Upon seeing the U.S. response to the August 10 NAFTA decision, Canadian International Trade Minister Peterson had canceled negotiations which had been set for Ottawa last week, but he said on Friday he was open to a long-term resolution.
However, Peterson said: "I think the message the ambassador should be delivering to Washington is that they should not confuse emotion with commitment and determination by Canadians to ensure that the NAFTA is respected."
He added: "The rule of law must be respected, and that does not involve trade wars. It involves honoring decisions of NAFTA panels."
With both ministers having talked about possible retaliation, Wilkins said in his remarks that a trade war was in nobody's interest, especially with Canada running a large trade surplus with the United States.
Though Emerson has rattled the saber the loudest, he also voiced frustration with an unwillingness within Canada to endure the pain that retaliation sometimes entails.
"Every time we get into a discussion about what Canada can do to retaliate, as soon as you name a sector or a particular target of retaliation, the divisions -- the regional divisions, the sector divisions -- spring up in Canada," he said.
"Candidly, Canadians have to decide as a small trading economy, are we going to stand together, are we going to unite, are we going to be stronger than the sum of our parts, or are we going to be endlessly bickering amongst ourselves and allowing the bully to basically mop the floor with us."
Wilkins says the two sides could for starters discuss the implications of the latest ruling.
*** Sorry I had to print whole article as for some reason link would not work from Reuters end, it just went to no such story page :scratch: ***
As well they should quack quack, hopefully they have the balls to finally tell them where they can shove NAFA. What utter bullshit! keeping that 5 billion dollars is out right stealing!
side note: quack quack, where is your fishing website gone??? that place was awesome...you did alot of work on that, I really really liked it. 8)
side note: quack quack, where is your fishing website gone??? that place was awesome...you did alot of work on that, I really really liked it. 8)
RE: Softwodd Lumber Dispu
I had been to busy to keep it up but I am working on a new one, so hopefully it will be up one of these days.
I had been to busy to keep it up but I am working on a new one, so hopefully it will be up one of these days.
just heard that they may recall Parliament to debate a course of action on soft wood lumber. Could be a litmus test of who is Canadian and who are a bunch of sellout losers. Meanwhile it seems America isn't aware of any dispute.
All would take to get relcted in this country is for one of the leaders to stand up to Bush and propose a tarriff on all energy going south at the same rate of softwood
RE: Softwodd Lumber Dispu
Hopefully they do, and the Libs show some backbone. This could make or break them for the next election. Especially here in BC where they are ahead in polls, it could mean the diference between a minority or majority come next election.
I know it affects Alberta somewhat as well but the Libs only have one seat there, unlike here. (I actually expect the tories to loose my riding and it go Liberal, why? because my mp is Gurmant)
Hopefully they do, and the Libs show some backbone. This could make or break them for the next election. Especially here in BC where they are ahead in polls, it could mean the diference between a minority or majority come next election.
I know it affects Alberta somewhat as well but the Libs only have one seat there, unlike here. (I actually expect the tories to loose my riding and it go Liberal, why? because my mp is Gurmant)
It all depends on who the Libs and NDP run here if they put up good faces I think you'll see Hinton gone around here she has done absoultly zero for this riding and never even strayed from the party line .I think that'll burn her right there :wink: