Quiet negotiations could lead to softwood deal

[CHIMO]

Canada and the United States may be getting ready to do a deal on softwood lumber.

Publicly, Canada's reply has been a flat no. The federal government says Canada won't negotiate after such a clear legal victory.

But Canada's absolutist message and its threats of retaliation seem crafted more for the Canadian audience.

Big business, like lumber, tends to be practical and what's happening behind the scenes is exactly what the Bush administration wants; negotiations, albeit informal negotiations, on a compromise lumber deal.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/10/20/softwood051020.html