U.S. `Gave Up Nothing' On Softwood

Thank you, jensonj ... I tried to post this story early this morning but had
Internet problems all day. So was very glad to see it up. It's really, really
important to be aware of these facts.

What, did anyone think that he wasn't going to suck the Bush Administrations nuts, just like Martin?

Martin talked tough too.

LoL.

Canada 2004/2005

>>Susan Esserman, a member of the U.S. Trade Representative's Office during the Clinton administration and now a Washington trade lawyer, indicated the United States did not like the NAFTA dispute settlement mechanism and noted it has not been included in any U.S. bilateral trade agreement since. Larry Herman, a Canadian trade lawyer, said "the United States would like to forget Chapter 19 and bury it." But from their viewpoint, the American approach may be rational. One Washington trade lawyer noted, "The United States regards Canadians as wimps and expects them to fold." <<

Canada Now In 2006

>>But, the source said, "on the Canadian side, the instruction was, `Just get it done.'

"And on the U.S. side, it was, `Give up nothing,' and they didn't give up anything."<<

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The real losers here are the citizens of Canada who will ultimately pay for the financial lose and Canada as a Nation.

When do Canadians start putting the interests of their country before their personal and professional interests?

When do Canadians stop foreign Governments and non Canadians with no vested interest in the well beening of the country and its people from dictating its future and how we as a people should think?


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Perception is two thirds of what we perceive reality to be.

Difficult decisions are a privilege of rank.

<a href="http://www.ftlc.org/index.cfm?Member=list">http://www.ftlc.org/index.cfm?Member=list</a><br />
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I would hold a little suspect the Free Trade Lumber Council's motives. It's memberships wants free and unfettered access to (mainly) the American marketplace, which means, if we think there is a lot of cheap wood going over the border now, just wait if it gets what it wants. Jensenj is right; mwhen are Canadians going to do something that benefits CANADA before their individual pocketbooks. It's like JFK said: "Ask not what your country can do for you: Ask what you can do for your country."......except that his country did for him quite nicely by the time he said that.<p>---<br>RickW

I mean really, when Ambassador Wilkins was going on in public about Canada having to go back to the "negotiating" table it was writing on the wall that "Free Trade" was non-negotiable. Canada was just too close in the courts to finally having the courts agree with all their concerns and the invalide complaints the US had against us that the US had to force the issue as soon as they could so it came out to be in thier best interests. Harper't the little gease monkey they've been waiting for since Mulroney was finally taken down.

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"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music." Friedrich Nietzsche

Reminds me of 1987, when Canadian chief negotiator Simon Reisman, a free trader himself, walked away from the negotiations, saying that it was impossible to come to an agreement with the Americans, after 2 years of daily yakking.

Mulroney sent Pat Carney and Michael Wilson to Washington to sign anything, but sign! Which they did in a few days and came back jubilant over the wonderful treaty they signed. Bloody marvellous negotiators in our governments, where the professionals fail.

Then came Chretien, who swore he won't sign the NAFTA without the renegotiaton of major parts, but signed it in virtual secrecy, without any serious public consultations.

In other words, they all blow the same trumpets programmed with the same tune. As long as a few multinationals get what they want everything is A - OK. "Adam Smith said so over 200 years ago". Or did he, but these fools either can not, or will not read his words.

Ed Deak.

Hmmm after reading that am I the only one with a bad case of deja vu? This sounds exactly like the original free trade agreement when both America and Canada wanted a number of key things and only one side walked away batting %1000. The lengths Conservatives will go to in order to get what they want astounds once again. And yes, the Liberals are Conservatives save for a few religious nutjobs.

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If there was ever a time for Canadians to become pushy - now is the time - for time is running out on this nation called Canada.

Field's saw mill in Courtenay, BC has just auctioned off their equipment, Most of the new equipment will now go to the scrap yards at $350 per tonne. Now, what was the softwood dispute about? No settlement will bring the mill back nor any other that are relics of the days of Canadian leadership. Infact one may wonder how they survived this long without being American owned. All freetrade has ever been about is merely to allow Americans to conduct business within our borders. It has nothing to do with the benefits or well being of the Average Canadian. All that softwood sales to Americans has done, is to raise the price of building materials to Canadian consumers. No different then anything else we sell to the highest bidder. Who cares that the Americans don't want our wood. We can't afford to buy it either. Mills are shutting down because they can't afford the logs. That's because American buyers pay the higher price. Why does everyone think settling the softwood dispute will ever be to our advantage?

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Expect little from life and get more from it.

<blockquote>No settlement will bring the mill back nor any other....</blockquote> Sums it up succinctly! And with a hulluva lot more truth to it than Mr. Harper's "it's a good deal for Canada"! Unless that $4-5 billion goes towards resusitating those jobs (and the communities their loss affected), there is no "good deal". <p>I hear Ontario lost some 63,000 manufacturing jobs over the last 16 months. Is this yet another "good deal" for Canada?</p><p>---<br>RickW

Our corporate subsidiary governments don't give a sweet damn. As long the phoney GDP figures keep rising, the "economy is booming" and people should move to "where the jobs are".

Real solutions to real problems would be "interference with the competitive equilibrium of the marketplace".

Ask any economist!

Ed Deak, Big Lake, BC.

The softwood lumber issue appears to me to be indicative of all the problems with the direction the new Conservatives want to take Canada.

It is a perfect example of the "crony" capitalism that has become entrenched under the Bush Administration. The Bush administration is playing to certain corporate interests while ignoring the best interests of other corporate interests and the overall US economy. Harper is following the same path as the Bush Republicans -- except that it the Bush "cronies" that are setting Harper's agenda not always Canadian ones.

The agreement apparently gives Washington to vet provincial forest management policy. That means that British Columbia, for example, will have to get permission from Washington for its forest management policy and according to David Emerson "you've got to accept that."

This is exactly what "deep integration" means. Under it "open federalism" takes on a whole new meaning because what Harper is saying that Ottawa will bow out of the provinces but at the same time use its power to make international treaties to transfer provincial powers to Washington.

While Harper focuses his communication stategy on his five motherhood issues behind the scenes he is taking away what is left of Canadian democracy and giving it to Washington and "crony" capitalists.

Canada is going to end up a protectorate of the United States of America if Canadians don’t start putting their country first and business and corporate interests last.

Canadians will become civilians in the United States of North America and only Americans will have citizenship, rights, liberty and Democracy!

Canadians will be non entities in their own land.


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Perception is two thirds of what we perceive reality to be.

Difficult decisions are a privilege of rank.

Good point Ed

"Real solutions to real problems would be "interference with the competitive equilibrium of the marketplace"."

And lest we forget, the vast majority of these "problems" are the results of the actions of oligarchies whose dedication to real "free trade" is little more than a coat of cheap white wash.

Of course they won't admit to their own "interference with the competitive equilibrium of the marketplace" openly but will euphemise it as "direction" or "guidance".

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"and the knowledge they fear is a weapon to be used against them"

"The Weapon" - Rush

Isn't the very collection of taxes "interference with the competitive equilibrium of the marketplace"?

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RickW