Harper 'disappointed' with new U.S. duty on Canadian softwood lumber

Thats fine that you are disappointed Harper, but the question remains what are you going to do about it? Free trade means just that and its your job to enforce the agreement everyone signed.

Can't blame Harper. The US has been doing this for decades. They've had rulings against them from all levels, but international obligations don't trump domestic politics. Canada needs soem retaliatory trade measures (i.e. charge the "duty" ourselves and keep it).

You need to read the article. The ruling went against Canada.

"An international tribunal in February found that Canada failed to properly calculate quotas on softwood lumber exports over the first half of 2007. The tribunal ordered Canada to remedy the breach by March 28."

I'll blame any government in power at the time because it is their job to protect and maintain trade agreements that we have with other countries. It shouldn't really matter how long the US has been at this sort of thing or how 'powerful' the US is.

Ha ha ha--so I do. I thought this was just teh same old softwood duty battle. Canada still shouldn't pay it, though. Fuck 'em.

I agree, Americans are always slagging us because we dont pull our weight militarily, we flood their country with cheaper products taking their jobs, their country isnt safe because of us..etc..I am all for closing the border and telling them to find their resources elsewhere...no more cheap hydro from Quebec and BC, no more Oil and gas, no more raw logs shipped south at the expense of Canadian mills, and we should kick out their truobled companies and not give them any bailouts!!! end Rant

What do you think he should do?

Should have appointed Jack Munro years ago and let him stuff their cowboys hats up their Montana Mill-owner asses instead of sending milquetoasts like Pettigrew and turncoats like Emerson to the table.
Ooooohhh they fudged their quotas.... WTF are "quotas" and NAFTA doing in the same trade talks?
Fund the bailouts with a 10% quota on all vehicles not built in Canadian plants. Military vehicles and ferries too!

What do you think he should do?

What I thought every previous PM and Premier should do.... SOMETHING.
When you are a party to international trade treaties you are bound by protocol. Even the Liberal government had to follow these. And their deal was pretty much like Harpers deal.

Again I ask. What would you have them do? Slap duties on American products and start a trade war?

Let's cut off their oil




















The price of oil would be a hundred bucks a bbl in 24 hrs

I don't think the agreement was perfect but it did end a longstanding dispute that was headed for more stalemates. I'm not sure how they rolled over and let them take all the cash. Which cash are you refering to? They U.S. got to keep 18% of what was paid by Canadian forest companies it's a large chunk of cash but not a significant portion of what was paid.

Couldn't have agreed more, it is easier and cheaper to ship and trade our resources down south to America but America should not be our only trading partner. If they are ungrateful for our cheap resources that would cost them more to buy from another country than screw them. Any other country would pay more money for our resources like China. China needs oil like nobodies buisness due to economic growth and there population buying and using more cars. With chinas money gaining worth. I think I'd rather sell our oil to China for a better price than a easier trade but cheaper price with America.

America can get stuck paying for more expensive resources. Canada should be looking out for #1 and not looking out for Americas best interests. No matter how much our repuation will be damaged with them. I don't care if they got a big military or apparently have more global influence despite Canada have better relations with the global community.

We spent so long gaining those global relations, I think we should start using it for our best interest by finding new trading partners who will offer a better price for our resources and won't keep slapping us in the face about it.

Canada is like walmart, the same quality products if not better but at a cheaper price with discounts. If you are unhappy with shopping at walmart than you can start shopping at Ikea where they make cheap products for a high price. Like couches with thin wooden support that will only last a month before they break. (Refering to Chinese products).

Harper gave the softwood fiasco to Emerson (another principled politician fresh from the Liberal side of the floor) whose first official act was to cave into the Americans after we had won every single legal fight.

It was an agreement the Americans weren�t honouring, and they ripped off Canada for a great deal of cash in the process. NOW they are going to nail us to the wall again because the market is in the toilet in the US again.

Taxing the hell out of the oil might not be such a bad idea anymore. At least until the cash grab balances out. I sure as hell don�t expect Harper to do anything of any significance.