U.S. agrees to abide by NAFTA panel decision on Canadian softwood

Global News ^ | 10-Sep-2004 | Canadian Press

[drtom]

This is the third time in the past 10 years and each time the Canadians won.

[drtom]

ping

[Finalapproach29er]

Are Americans filing any cases? Give these bastards a taste of their own medicine. Go after Airbus for starters.

The economic war against America continues. It won't stop until we start fighting back.

[NorthOf45]

'The economic war against America continues. It won't stop until we start fighting back.' It's not an "economic war" ... it's business.

[Finalapproach29er]

Not when its coordinated in the EU.

I can't believe we haven't pulled out of this anti-American group. When you're the most powerful nation on Earth, you don't forfeit that power to a council of washed-up American hating bureaucrats.

When it comes to bisiness, America has no friends. Everybody wants to see the giant fall down.

[albertabound]

I guess the fact that American lunber prices will now drop is a bad thing from your warped perspective. Us bastards are linked at the hip economically. This resolution is good for both countries and will definately ease some of the tensions.

[sixmil]

It's one thing to give up sovereignty to from a union of states like this country did a couple hundred years ago. But to give up sovereignty through treaty in the hope of gaining international market share and living up to an ideology is just silly, maybe even suicidal.

[Moonman62]

American lumber producers have long contended Canadian imports are subsidized by low Crown timber-cutting fees, known as stumpage, and other provincial forestry policies.

How is it that the Canadian eco-terrorists let them get away with this?

[drtom]

But the lumber issue wasn't coordinated in the EU. It's a trade dispute with our most important business partner north of the border. It was started by US lumber barons making a claim and lobbying the DoC to impose countervailing duties.

[drtom]

There have been substantial activities. During the leftist NDP rule in BC stumpage fees went up significantly and the forestry practice code was revised (read: screwed up) in a manner that it drove a lot of mills out of business. In general though, eco-activities are concentrated around the BC coastal rainforests while logging, of course, takes place throughout the province(s).

Weyerhaeuser, Interfor and other large players have started to work together with some environmental groups after boycotts of their lumber in the EU started to cut into their margins.

My company operates on both sides of the border and if you compare the operations of medium-sized US and Canadian mills, the latter are usually much more efficient due to constant re-investment in technology. This is also one of the reasons why a lot of mills survived the extra duties for such a long time.

[Finalapproach29er]

Your concern for American consumers is touching.

[1rudeboy]

Are Americans filing any cases?

Of course they are. Here ya' go: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. You really were expecting an answer, weren't you? [chuckle]

[Finalapproach29er]

I know. But its part of a bigger problem we face; these extraconstitutional global bodies who are knee-jerk America haters.

There is a coordinated assault to open up America, but these hypocritical bastards aren't being counter-sued by America for doing the same damn things (EU-agriculture,airbus,etc.) They subsidize worse than the US, yet all the decisions are going against the US.

I'm riled up about that. No justice,no peace!

[Leatherneck_MT]

NAFTA needs to go the way of the DODO bird.

This was a very bad idea to begin with and it's becoming a worse idea as it grows older.

[1rudeboy]

Yeah, we can make-up the $300 billion of exports elsewhere. Pocket change.

[Leatherneck_MT]

We did just fine in Trade long before NAFTA existed we will do fine long after NAFTA expires.

[Finalapproach29er]

Have we (in the USA) won even 5 cases during the existence of the WTO?

Just curious.

[1rudeboy]

. . . yet all the decisions are going against the US.

Ten replies earlier, you admitted that you didn't know. What happened?

[1rudeboy]

Please see my #12 if you are truly curious. Education is a good thing.

[Eva]

I hope that the lumber duties are removed, I'm building a house and the lumber duty amounts to a 37% surcharge. That's a huge amount in the cost of the house. No one expects these charges to be removed before the end of the year, however.