More details on softwood capitulation. (soonews.ca)

[tuvor]

Is Softwood Lumber Deal a Sell-out of Canadian Sovereignty?

What Harper Was Calling for in Opposition

What current PM Harper was arguing for as Opposition Leader months before being elected was a more aggressive position with the United States. He specifically argued that he would refuse to bargain over softwood. In an apparent shift from his conciliatory style in the past on Canada-U.S. relations, Harper stated that Canada should tell the United States that if it does not negotiate by the legal terms of the North American Free Trade Act and the international courts that issue decisions over disputes, that Canada should explore other markets (e.g., India, China) for its economic infrastructure.

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List of Unfavourable Results

Julian has released a list of the top ten biggest capitulations the Harper government has made on the softwood deal. These include:

(1) At current market benchmark prices the Canadian Softwood industry would be paying more in tariffs than under the current illegal American punitive tariffs.

(2) The anti-circumvention clause allows for an American veto on forestry practices and provokes a constitutional crisis.

(3) Canada will be financing the American softwood industry to the tune of 0.5 billion dollars, a reward to the powerful US interests that waged this war in the first place to fight future litigation against the Canadian softwood industry.

The rest of the Top 10 is at http://www.soonews.ca/viewarticle.php?id=7434