Canada backs down on trade retaliation

[CHIMO]

It could be well into 2007 before the federal government applies retaliatory tariffs in the softwood lumber dispute, Trade Minister Jim Peterson said Tuesday.

Despite heightened rhetoric earlier in the day by high-ranking cabinet officials and the Prime Minister, Mr. Peterson said Canada would wait until after it received WTO approval and performed extensive consultation with Canadians before retaliatory tariffs would be considered in the softwood lumber dispute.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050823.wtrade1082311/BNStory/National/

So that will be another 5 billion before anything kicks in. What a bunch of ...

First you say you do, and then you don't
Then you say you will and then you won't

Wasn't there a name floating around recently? Dithering?

Well nice to know that there will be an election soon so we can all agree or disagree with the decision.

[lostinacause]

1. I don't think this will be the biggest election issue.

People only tend to vote on the top two or three. After that it's mostly reputation.

[CHIMO]

2. Perhaps

But I think that there are a significant number of old PC'ers who find the issue important and who parked their vote with the Liberals in the last election. Then there are other groups who have been against NAFTA and there appears to be some drift in the unions to questioning the benefits of NAFTA. We shall see.

[lostinacause]

3. The Conservative party is not going to take that kind of stance.

To many Conservatives don't want to offend America.

[CHIMO]

4. I

Never said they would.(PC'ers are not Conservatives) But I would expect them to have a point of view.

What policy do you think that the Green's will have on it? What do most people think the Green's are? Right or Left? If they should adopt a made in Canada policy I would suspect that they would receive quite a bit out of it, which would force the NDP to react.

[lostinacause]

5. What I ment is that the Conservatives and Liberals would hold the same

policy. Both parties are likely not going to risk changing their stance. Most Canadians are anti-NAFTA or are voting NDP anyway. The greens have no way to define themselves on this issue. The Green's continue to be a protest vote and unless the Liberals and Conservatives make major mistakes they won't do much better then the have in the past.

[CHIMO]

6. OK

Perhaps that is the way it is?(I question whether the Unions are ant-NAFTA so to say.)

But I wonder why protecting the environment and exploitation of natural resources should not be directly related?

And for an idea of the PC'ers views on things I would suggest that you have a look see at David Orchard. (He just happens to be the person that was taking over the PC party before the old guard dumped him.)

[lostinacause]

13. Ask Albertians if they mind the exploitation of oil.

Most will tell you they do.

As far as environmental standards go; this should be kept in balance with progress.


What do you mean by "the Unions"?


I do have a good idea where the PC used to stand. When the policies related to trade are so similar it is irrelevant where the PC'ers will go. Steven Harper is also doing an impeccable job of labeling his party as a western party.

[CHIMO]

18. Reference

To unions was to show that I couldn't see a public statement from them that is against NAFTA.

http://canadianlabour.ca/index.php/NAFTA

[tuvor]

7. Looks like I'll be voting NDP. n/t

[achtung_circus]

8. Yup,

again.

[HEyHEY]

16. I made that decision a couple months ago

[tuvor]

22. Same here.

This just confirms it.

Would be nice if Catherine Bell had a proper website up--I'm interested in volunteering.

[wli]

9. sounds like the Canadians have their own version of the DLC n/t

[lostinacause]

12. Could you expand on what you mean by this.

Also keep in mind that there is very good evidence to suggest that Canada has benefited from free trade. Canada has also responded better to a free trade environment then America has. A large majority of Canadians vote for parties who support free trade.

[wli]

14. yes, a "fifth column" of corporate shills in progressive parties

I may very well be wrong. The Subject: line is what I said, so if it's wrong, so be it.

[Spazito]

10. This is such crap, we keep putting off what is inevitable

while it costs us more and more in the interim. If the Libs think they can wait out the bush admin, they are ignoring the previous history of trade disputes. U.S. admins, dem or repub, always follow the lobbyists of the various U.S. industries.

[lostinacause]

11. These industries are still doing very well. It's only a matter of time

before something is done about it. When something is done about it the American producers are going to be in really bad shape.

The Democrats are able to ask a very important question; “If barriers to trade are so bad why do we continue to have them with Canada?”

[Maple]

15. Stop getting so wound up by media headlines

First they tell you the govt is off to war.

Then they tell you the govt 'backs down'

But nothing has actually changed in the meantime.

It's just media hype folks.

The depths of summer are the 'silly season' in 'news reporting'

Stop investing your life in this crap and watch actual events, not media rhetoric.

Filling 'column inches' when there is no news leads to a great deal of foolishness.

[HEyHEY]

19. So what are you saying? The rabbit from Monty Python won't be arbitrating?

I knew there was something fishy about that story... :silly:

[Maple]

20. Would you send a rabbit

to do a beaver's job?

Or perhaps we might send in one of your polar bears.

The one you've got on there....right after the penguin wakes him up...would be perfect!

[Bassic]

17. Jesus Christ we are such cowardly losers!

[SixStrings]

21. It's Mike Harris's fault !!!