Martin Pitches Softwood To China

I'm torn. I like the idea of Chinese money (who am I kidding, I like the idea of money). I like expanding trade with other nations and reducing a dependence on the US. I don't like doing business with a tyrant in Beijing. I don't like the fact that profits and material are siphoned off for the party and not the people. I like the fact that many projects set up by the Chinese government are raising the standard of living for the regular Chinese people and that our trade with them can help that (but maybe not as fast as if we did trade with another democratic nation - say India?). And I really hate that any business that we do with China will be seen as acceptance of the nation's policies and acceptance of their absolutely terrible human rights record.

But how do you change a juggernaught that can get along without you? Would sanctions work against a country like China and not hurt us worse? Can we promote freedom through trade?

In the end, I'll support greater trade with China. Perhaps we can hold their ownership of our companies hostage if the have another Tianamen. After all, didn't they once nationalize all foreign firms? And isn't turnabout fair play? I hope this doesn't bite us later.

Of course Martin could force all Canadian lumber to be processed in Canada, creating tens of thousands of Canadian jobs, but he would rather sell it for little to a Communist country which is a burgeoning superpower and willing to murder dissidents en masse.

Apparently we also can't have public ownership, but letting a Communist country buy us up is okay...WHATEVER.

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The midget, Bush, and that Rumsfield deserve only to be beaten with shoes by freedom loving people everywhere.

- Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, The Iraqi Informat

Maybe you should start growing bamboo…

My concern exactly, that we will be shipping off unprocessed logs to China. Martin is creating the exact same situation in trade the US has with China in which we send off unprocessed natural resources and the Chinese send us manufactured products worth 100's more than what we send them. This is exactly how the US trade deficit has reached critical levels with China; why are we seeking to copy such a failed policy.

Good idea. We need to stop trading so much with the US. They are a rogue nation and everyone knows that if you shake hands witht he US you better check to make sure all your fingers are still there. Chuck B

It's more like the U.S. is copying us--we've never put ourselves first that much when it comes to resources. I assume Martin is a globalist and doesn't want us to be self-sufficient...so he'd rather help a Communist power.

--Perturbed.

Seems our Liberal government is determined to keep us "hewers of wood, drawers of water"............

We COULD grow bamboo in many of those festering clearcuts on the west coast........a renewable resource, with a turnaround time of years instead of decades.

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RickW

Yes, please do stop trading with us.

We can't stand the Canucks that constantly visit US corporations, cap in hand, begging for business.