By Jen Ross, PoliticsWatch.com
First Web Posted: October 4, 2001 @ 5:30 pm
 Canadian Alliance MP John Duncan, who called for the debate, asked the
government if it was true that it has in fact opened the door for direct
negotiations between the United States' Trade Representative and the
provinces.
''If this is the case, then I want to put a warning shot out there that this
is betraying free trade,'' said the Alliance critic for international trade. ''If we agree to these kind of
Balkanized agreements ... it's an abandonment of Canadian interests.''
Trade is a federal responsibility. In opening up negotiations between
provincial leaders and U.S. officials, Duncan said the federal government is
trying to ''divide and conquer.''
Pierre Pettigrew, Minister for International Trade, did not provide a direct
answer, but he did acknowledge that the provinces would be involved in
discussions on softwood coming up in two weeks. Moreover, Pettigrew stressed
that the ''Team Canada approach'' -- which includes provincial premiers on
international trade missions -- ''has provided the right and best approach for
us.''
However, not all provinces are in agreement on how to proceed. Notably,
Ontario and Alberta insiders continue to express serious reservations on the
federal government's current approach.
Even the Bloc Quebecois, which would normally favour bilateral international
discussions for Quebec, is opposed to a provincial approach to softwood.
Bloc MP Pierre Paquette said the provinces certainly need to play a role in
discussions, seeing as how forestry management is a provincial responsibility,
but he said they must stay out of direct negotiations. Paquette said he fears
the outcome of bilateral talks would favour certain provinces over others.
''The Americans will attack the weaker provinces where the industry is less
competitive,'' he said. ''We need a common front and we need to maintain the
consensus about the return to free trade.''
He said only if Canada loses would Quebec want to entertain direct
negotiations, to ensure it doesn't end up paying for the subsidies of other
provinces, as it did in the 1980s.
Canadian officials wrapped up a three-day plenary session in Washington
Thursday, which Pettigrew characterized as a ''great success.'' They are
conciliatory meetings meant to find an alternative to litigation at the WTO
level. Pettigrew said industry and government leaders on both sides of the
border compared forestry management practices at the meeting and tried to find
commonalities.
PC-DRC MP Gary Lunn, who sat with the Alliance during the debate, asked if
the softwood lumber dispute would be adversely affected if the Prime Minister
were to become directly involved in economic policy discussions in another
commodity, namely oil and gas.
Duncan urged the federal government to keep their appeal national, and to
push it at the highest levels.
''If we stay the course, if we go to the
WTO, we will win,'' he said.
In British Columbia alone, Duncan
pointed out that there are an estimated 15,000 forest workers laid
off. ''The estimates run as high as 30,000 in British Columbia by
the end of the year and nationally we are looking at 40,000 to
50,000 unemployed forest workers.''
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