Campbell urges PM to turn up heat on U.S. in softwood trade war

[Spazito]

BANFF, Alta. (CP) - B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell has told Prime Minister Paul Martin to push back against the United States in the softwood lumber dispute - and that could include threatening to withhold resources.

"I think Canada has to be very firm and remind the Americans of our mutual benefit from trade," Campbell said Friday after speaking with Martin on Thursday night. "My message to the prime minister is to take this to the highest level and point this out," Campbell said as provincial and territorial leaders wrapped up three days of meetings.

snip

Campbell said it's time the Americans were reminded that they rely on Canada for energy.

"We reminded the ambassador that the United States is not the only jurisdiction that wants our energy resources," said Campbell. "We have enormous opportunities across the Asia-Pacific in China, India."

more

http://www.canada.com/news/national/story.html?id=c0878ea8-6972-4316-bdb7-4561195e2d67

(I totally agree with Campbell and totally DISAGREE with Klein, the scumbag repub lite)

[justinsb]

1. I think that if the US doesn't comply this time

that counterveiling sanctions were imposed - quickly and without compromise.

[Spazito]

2. Yep, enough of this bullshit!

I say we submit notice of withdrawal from NAFTA and see how the bush admin reacts to that. We only have to give 6 months notice and if they don't cave, we withdraw.

[CHIMO]

3. Requires

More premiers to get on board. McGuinty could be a little more aggressive rather than saying that the people don't like it. Quebec seems to be behind the move for some real action.
Forget Alberta, Klein is for Klein, and when he offers to help watch your pocket.

I would think that Campbell should attack this like Alberta and the oil companies attacked the NEP. He must see by now that nobody is going to help because it would hurt their provence. Just imagine that the same thing was going on in Quebec, does anyone think that it would be going on like this.

Don't look for the feds to lead the charge. If one goes back to the FTA, that agreement looked like it was not going to go ahead many times. It was the premiers that were willing to push and give to get the thing going.

I think that Campbell has to come out and start threatening more independence unless they get this issue straightened out and I also think that the opposition parties in Ontario, Alberta and BC should be running with this issue.

A good background on the softwood lumber dispute from the CBC.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/softwood_lumber/index.html

I really wonder what kind of precedence this makes if we agree to a negotiated settlement?

[Spazito]

4. We have come to a negotiated settlement previously on this

issue, I believe. It is time to stop caving on the US demands for another negotiated settlement and play hardball, imo.

[CHIMO]

5. But

In this case we might be accepting, through acquiescence, the claim that the rules are unconstitutional while we abide by them. I don't know, but I think that it would certainly weaken the Canadian position.

I agree. This does seem like the time one has to decide whether or not there will continue to be a NAFTA.

[V. Kid]

6. It's about time...

...when did this latest lumber dispute start? 2001?!?! And it's not as if this was a suprise or anything.

[CHIMO]

7. Something

That Mr. Finance might want to put in his pipe. If he is going to play hardball then the penalties should come fast and follow the EU tactic of going after specific political areas. I will leave it up to him to decide which column would provide the most leverage on the following site.

http://www.dscc.org/2006races/

I hope the limited steps that he mentioned only reflects his area of authority.