No industry support, no softwood vote: Emerson

[Spazito]

International Trade Minister David Emerson said he won't bother sending the Canada-U.S. softwood lumber trade deal to the House of Commons if he doesn't have enough support from provinces and those within the industry.

He said that without their support there really isn't an agreement to bring before Parliament and "you're dead before arrival."

The Conservatives have said they would treat the softwood deal as a confidence motion that would bring down the government if the Opposition votes against it.

Lumber industry representatives in B.C., Alberta, Quebec, and the B.C. government have expressed concern about the final draft of the softwood deal.

more

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/07/31/emerson-softwood.html

ROFLMAO, the faux cons are running scared due to the bad polls over the last week. All of a sudden there WON'T be a Sept/Oct bill on softwood that will also be a confidence vote.

[tuvor]

1. That's their only choice.

Harper's already on record that softwood vote = confidence motion.

Now that his near-term popularity is uncertain at best, he'd be nuts to gamble on its passing.

So...Assuming it doesn't get voted on in the Commons, where does that leave the "agreement," then?

[Canuck55]

2. It would be fitting...

...if the first actual issue that brings down Dubya's buddy Steve was his first major policy issue of his presidency. Always loved how the big 'free trader' went for tariffs on int'l softwood and steel right out of the gates.

To repeat for you again Steve-O:

Giving up 20% of the pot to the ignorant, arrogant schmuck sitting across from you after you have won the hand is fucking nuts, let alone policy between the globe's largest annual trading partners. You haven't solved anything, you haven't won anything, if you cave like this then what exactly can we expect down the road in any negotiating terms. The industries have suffered, but they didn't collapse as many feared, don't sell them out now after they weathered the storm.