Canada, U.S. agree to softwood lumber deal

[tuvor]

(Not like you didn't already know, but...)



Canada has reached a softwood lumber agreement with the United States that will "finally put an end to this conflict," Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Thursday.

"I'm delighted to announce that we have reached an agreement," Harper told the House of Commons.

"This is what Canada wanted. This is what Canada got. This, colleagues, is a good deal."

Harper made the announcement of a revised agreement after an initial deal drew mixed industry reviews on both sides of the border, and criticism from the Ontario government.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/04/27/softwood060427.html

ON EDIT:

"There can be no question of Canada returning to a conventional bargaining table, as the U.S. Ambassador has suggested. You don’t negotiate after you’ve won. The issue is compliance. And achieving full compliance should be the objective of the Prime Minister." --Stephen Harper, September 7, 2005
http://www.stevenfletcher.com/archives/000484.php

[Canuck55]

1. 'full compliance'

"And achieving full compliance should be the objective of the Prime Minister." --Stephen Harper, September 7, 2005"

That just sounds creepy, regardless of the context or topic.

[IntravenousDemilo]

14. And true to his word, the prime minister is being fully compliant.

I suppose he hopes if he rolls over on his back, Dubya will give him tummy-rubs. That must make Stephen's tail go thump thump thump.

[CHIMO]

2. Thank You

Thank you and thank you again. From all of us. We are just so happy. Now what would you like next Sir!

[MrPrax]

4. LOL

Good 'toon.

Yeah the reason why the Tories subverted democracy was to get 'Emerson' on board to work his incredible expertise and 'magic' on the softwood file.

Funny Emerson could have sold out on a deal while being a Liberal...goes to show that maybe Martin was on the up and up vis a vis this issue. Emerson couldn't seel out for his Canfor buddies under Martin, but NO problem under Harper.

[iverglas]

3. as Gilles Duceppe said in the House yesterday

http://www.parl.gc.ca/39/1/parlbus/chambus/house/debates/011_2006-04-27/HAN011-E.htm

(after noting that he had not read the agreement and would withhold judgment until he had)

Because I have done it so often, I recognize that plans may have to be abandoned during negotiations, but I have never abandoned anything after a ruling was given in my favour. When they rule in your favour, it is not the time to say that you are going to ask for a little less. It is rather like the police arresting someone who has robbed you of $100 on the street and offering a good deal: the thief will agree to give you back $80, and the whole thing will be forgotten.

[CHIMO]

5. PM downplays deal concerns

Harper says there are always details to be worked out

VANCOUVER — B.C. forest industry leaders say a clause in the proposed softwood lumber deal between Canada and the United States could be a deal-breaker, prompting Premier Gordon Campbell to try to quickly quiet their fears.

Industry sources said Friday the package’s so-called anti-circumvention clause could give the U.S. government a veto on changes to provincial forestry policies, impinging on Canadian sovereignty.

“Just so we’re clear, I don’t believe there is a policy infringement,” he said.

“But we don’t foresee any difficulties. We’re pretty firm on the details.”

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1146222071362&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154

OK people. The stage has now been set for the Liberal Convention for a leader. Let us now sit back and watch the tide change. Some will partake in this change, I am sure.

Harper has set himself up for a nice big change.

[GirlinContempt]

8. Get out the crystal ball

:eyes: Harper just makes my blood boil with this crap, and his little supporters.

[Monk06]

6. The US will never abide by the terms of any agreement they sign..

even when it's in their favor.

Not a cent of penalties will be returned.

The US gets to impose a floor price on Canadian
lumber. Supply and demand is supposed to determine
the market price of a commodity.

Except in CAPITALIST AMERIKA.

The next complaint will be that Canadian producers are
artificially inflating the price of softwood to avoid this
(illegal)tax and then the protectionist waltz will begin
again.

The real joke is that 110 US sawmills have closed during
the imposition of trade penalties on Canadian lumber.

The lumber dispute forced industry consolidation and improved
efficiency on Canadian producers putting US producers at a
further disadvantage.

The US lumber industry is protected, coddled lazy and stupid.
They can't win for losing.

[CHIMO]

7. Hoodwinked

Absolutely.

[CHIMO]

9. A Deals A Deal

http://www.cagle.com/politicalcartoons/pccartoons/archives/rice.asp?Action=GetImage

[lambert]

10. Lumber agreement's text shows that it's a $450 million slush fund for Bush

A $450 million slush fund, just in time for the mid-terms

The story has a lot of detail, but the bottom line is simple: The terms of the Softwood Lumber Agreement with Canada will give Bush complete control of an escrow account with $450 million in it, controlled by a board that Bush appoints, and which can be used for any purpose whatever, with no Congressional oversight.

[MrPrax]

11. Good story...

and welcome to DU :hi:

I read a version of it from The Tyee via another forum (Tyee is a twice weekly check for me ;-)

The Tyee

I gave the story it's own posting...and will post your link with credit there...'kay?

[Spazito]

12. Thanks for posting this! I had no idea re this slush fund for bush!

"Some perspective. At the height of the Watergate scandal, focus was on an illegal slush fund available to the Committee to Re-Elect the President, that was thought to be tipping the balance of American politics. The fund never exceeded $20 million. One of the articles of impeachment against Richard Nixon was that he received foreign campaign donations, perhaps as much as $50,000. Both by statute and by the United States Constitution, gifts of money to the United States must go to the treasury and be appropriated by Congress. The lone, aberrant and still controversial exception has been money donated in the immediate aftermath of the emergency created by Hurricane Katrina, and the sums involved were very small.

So, here we have the government of Canada requiring that Canadian private parties sign over $450 million to an escrow fund slated to be conveyed to the White House. The agreement does not mention Congress, and the Bush administration says that Congress will not be involved in any way with this agreement. The government of Canada thus is making a gift of $450 million to be spent by the president. That was more than a belt buckle, even more than a stetson, on July 6th. There is only one date certain in the deal: that the planned expenditure of the $450 million must be determined by September 1."

Despicable, totally despicable.

[tuvor]

15. Welcome to DU, lambert! Have you posted this on one of the main forums?

I'm sure our American friends on DU would like to know that we're potentially giving bush and the GOP a buttload of money that can be used against their interests.

EDIT: Ah, I see you did after all. Rating them up right now....

[achtung_circus]

13. Pardon me for a moment.

God damned son of a fucking knob-gobbling bitch. Grab your ankles Stevie, George wants to drive the ol' avenger home.