Martin vows to press Bush on trade issues

[ConcernedCanuk]

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Martin vows to press Bush on trade issues

FROM CANADIAN PRESS
Mar. 9, 2005. 06:10 PM

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Paul Martin says he intends to raise troubling trade tiffs involving softwood lumber and cattle exports when he meets U.S. President George Bush later this month in Texas.

Although trade wasn't on the official agenda when the three NAFTA leaders — Martin, Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox — meet on March 23, the prime minister says he still intends to raise the expensive disputes.

/snip/

Since May 2002, Canadian lumber firms have paid more than $4 billion in duties to the U.S. Department of Commerce because of the ongoing softwood trade war.



I say -

SELL IT ALL TO CHINA!

We could give them a heck of a deal for that 4 billion bucks worth of "duties" couldn't we? :shrug:


same for our cows, and yeah

even our gas an oil -

China needs that too don't they?

[achtung_circus]

1. And the hog duties

which were confirmed this week.
<http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1097876764037_93285964/?hub=Canada>

[tuvor]

2. We have to diversify, pronto.

I'm no expert, but it seems the timing in India and China couldn't be better.

Let's behave like good investors.

[Boswells_Johnson]

3. "Let's embarrass the hell out of the Americans" says Martin's point person

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Paul Martin's parliamentary secretary for Canada-U.S. relations endorsed a suggestion this week that Canada should try embarrassing the U.S. internationally as a way of resolving trade disputes.

Liberal MP Marlene Jennings was quoted in a Canadian Press article as suggesting using the tactic after a trade expert appeared before a Commons committee.

Much of the expert's testimony was centred around problems with resolving disputes with the U.S. under NAFTA.

The Washington-based expert suggested Canada use political pressure and the threat of embarrassing Washington internationally as a way to spur talks aimed at repairing NAFTA's dispute resolution mechanisms.

http://www.politicswatch.com/us-mar9-2005.htm

[Frances]

4. Bush is incapable of being embarrassed