Ottawa - The breakdown in
softwood lumber talks is symptomatic of the deterioration in the
trade relationship between Canada and the US, says Canadian
Alliance MP John Duncan.
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''This is a signal that Pierre Pettigrew has taken things as far as he
can,'' said the CA's International Trade Critic. ''The scope of
the dispute is now beyond any one minister. It's time for somebody
else to take charge, and that person is the Prime Minister.''
Yesterday, the federal government announced it was pulling out of
planned meetings with U.S. officials, dimming hopes of near-term
settlement to a trade war that has cost the Canadian industry
million of dollars in lost profits and thousands of jobs.
''This is a real regression,'' said Duncan. ''All along the US has
been happy to sit down with us, so long as we do all the talking.
They love it when we do all the offering, with the provinces
playing each other off.''
Duncan says evidence of the
worsened trade relationship was demonstrated at yesterday's
appearance at a Senate trade subcommittee by U.S. Trade
Representative Robert Zoellick.
''He wasn't beating the free
trade drum, but the protectionist drum.''
In addition to his critic duties, Duncan represents Vancouver
Island North, a riding heavily dependent on the lumber industry.
The breakdown in talks leaves Pettigrew in a delicate
position--under fire from both the United States and the Canadian
softwood lobby. Since the expiration of the previous softwood deal
last March, Pettigrew has remained optimistic that Canada would
prevail. Now, the federal government's strategy is clouded in
doubt.
RELATED
LINKS:
Feds
cancel softwood summit (National
Post)
Softwood
lumber talks called off (Vancouver Sun)
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