Pres. Bush takes PM Martins call about the softwood lumber dispute and Alaska drilling.
Posted on 10/14/2005 12:36:22 PM PDT by wjersey
OTTAWA - Prime Minister Paul Martin has warned U.S. President George W. Bush that Canada will wage its battle over softwood lumber in American courts — and in the court of public opinion. Martin spoke with Bush by phone Friday but they failed to make any progress on the softwood issue.
Neither leader budged from his original position during the 20-minute chat, officials said.
Bush maintained that he would prefer a negotiated settlement, said a spokeswoman for Martin.
The prime minister insisted there’s no reason for Canada to negotiate because it has already won all NAFTA challenges to U.S. tariffs and duties that have cost Canadian lumber firms $5 billion.
“Canada has won panel decision after panel decision,” Martin said while attending the inauguration of a new Quebec border crossing with the U.S.
“Fundamentally, what one might call the final court of appeal under NAFTA has also confirmed the Canadian position.
“And that should be respected.”
A NAFTA extraordinary challenge committee ruled in August that Canadian exports posed no threat of injury to American producers.
But the U.S. government signalled it would not comply with the ruling, saying it was already complying with a World Trade Organization decision on the matter.
Martin told Bush that Canada will continue fighting in the U.S. courts and by appealing to Americans who would benefit from cheaper Canadian lumber — something Martin suggested would be an embarrassment to Bush.
“(Martin) told the president that we view it as a shame that we should have to take the U.S. to court in its own country to make that point,” said a Martin spokesman.
“But we’re more than prepared to do so and we will do so.”
Canadian lumber exporters have paid more than $5 billion in duties since May 2002, when American lumber producers filed their fourth trade complaint in 20 years.
Canada estimates that, based on past NAFTA rulings, the U.S. should pay back at least $3.5 billion of the duties collected so far.
For the fifth time, a dispute resolution panel under the North American Free Trade Agreement has ordered U.S. trade officials to review the way they determine Canadian lumber exports are subsidized.
The NAFTA panel, made up of three American and two Canadian trade experts, gave the United States until Oct. 28 to comply.
If the panel’s ruling is implemented, the countervailing duty rate would fall below one per cent, which under trade rules would result in its cancellation, according to the B.C. Lumber Trade Council.
During Friday’s phone conversation, the two leaders also discussed the U.S. plan to drill for oil in an Alaska Arctic wildlife refugee — something Canada opposes.
Bush insisted he must move forward because his country needs the oil.
WHY?
WHY?
Canada is an oil exporting nation. More supply, they'll make less money.
Close the border and do not let any more anti-American people or merchandise come in to our country. That is what I will write my elected representatives.
Real smart MArtin, piss off the leader of the free world. You'll get far with that type of attitude.
"Canadian lumber exporters have paid more than $5 billion in duties since May 2002, when American lumber producers filed their fourth trade complaint in 20 years."
Kind of hard to say we have free trade when we keep tarrifs that high and lose every court case.
Also, due to economics, much of the present Alaskan oil pumped goes to east asia. So would that from ANWR unless the pipeline would transverse Canada to the US midwest. Canada probably wouldn't allow that because they have plans for the same for the Mackenzie delta oil.
Canada also wants to capture the Asian market and is building pipelines to the pacific coast, like this one announced today.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051014/wl_canada_nm/canada_energy_enbridge_col_2
The oil biz is as much about preventing others from pumping than pumping. A profitable strategy. For example, widespread Arab support for the former Iraqi sanctions regime limiting Iraqi production and keeping their oil industry unmodernized. Venezuela does the same by fomenting strife in Ecuador, East Columbia and the new player Bolivia.
Unlikely, as the amount that might come out of ANWR would not seriously impact the world price of oil.
Traditionally Canada has opposed development of oil in ANWR because of the western arctic caribou herds that roam between it and Canada. These are some of the last mega herds of grazing animals and an important part of life for the Inuit. That's not to say that I agree - I believe any disruption from development in the area will be minimal. Basically the Canadian government's position is the same as that of many Americans. Possibly a hypocritical one because we have big diamond projects going on up there, although with strict environmental regulations.
so President Bush stands up for his people - Someone call George Will or Bill Kristol and tell them that Bush is not conservative enough. Aren't you glad he beat Gore? Canada msut wonder what they have to do to win - without using their military.
"Real smart MArtin, piss off the leader of the free world. You'll get far with that type of attitude."
About as far as the Axis of East Coast Self-Important Pundits will get with squalling over the Miers nomination. Nowhere.
Pres. Bush takes PM Martins call about the softwood lumber dispute and Alaska drilling.
I don't understand how Canada has so much "softwood" seeing how they're mostly d*ckless wonders...
"Kind of hard to say we have free trade when we keep tarrifs that high and lose every court case."
Not really, given that we buy anywhere from 70 to 80% of _all_ Canadian exports (a total figure that dwarfs the softwood figures), and the larger fact that we purchase the lion's share of global exports - period, from every country.
jeesh....from softwood issues to terrorism to nominations to hurricanes to campaining to family to budgets to.....
there's NO FREAKING WAY I'd ever want that job.
I'll put in my 8 and drink a cold one while I watch Seinfeld.
Aw, hell. Let's just take over Canada, then our environazis can shut down their lumber production, too.
"Not really, given that we buy anywhere from 70 to 80% of _all_ Canadian exports (a total figure that dwarfs the softwood figures), and the larger fact that we purchase the lion's share of global exports - period, from every country."
So I think your argument is that because we buy so much from overseas relative to how much we sell then we can have tarrifs without fear of retaliation.
I don't have a good answer right away. It does not feel right to me though... for one thing it's against my principles of free trade. Now if Canada was an anti-democratic threat that tramples human rights then maybe I wouldn't mind.... like if we did it to china instead.
Also, the cost is passed along to consumer.
But anyway, thanks for that reply..it made me rethink.
5 billion dollars is nothing to the US.We should just pay the canadians and stop all imports from canada into the US. They have absolutely nothing we need but oil. Buy more oiloff mexico and the middle east(the saudis always wants to sell the US more oil but its a double edged sword thanks canada) until we drill more in the US and come up with alternatives. This is ridiculous threatening our national security with the communist chinese over lumber. I honestly think the liberal government in canada doesnt know how seriously the US takes national security.
Canada: Leading the World in Being Just North of the United States.
What wood they have in their gov't is soft. That's why they're looking for immigrants.
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