I was just flipping the channels when I came across CNN. What caught my eye was on the ticker there was this title "WHAT'S THE PROBLEM, EH?". The reporter was Kittie Pilgrim, if I can remember, she was reporting on the strained trade relations between Canada and the US. Her story mentioned the softwood lumber dispute. She was suprised that Canada was putting up such a fuss over only 4% of all the trade between the 2 countries. She also went on to say how our Prime Minister was grand standing at the WTO, the World Trade Organization, and the WTO decided in the USA favour. Yet we hear that the WTO decided in Canada's favour. Somebody's lieing here, can someone straighten this out?
P.S. it was funny watching CNN talk about Canada in the fashion it did. It seemed like they think we're the slow neighbour that, just doesn't get it.
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An interim ruling from the World Trade Organization (WTO) sides with the United States’ claim that the U.S. lumber industry is suffering undue injury because of unfairly subsidized Canadian softwood lumber exports. Although interim decisions are subject to appeal, they are rarely overturned.
However the WTO rulings are kind of toothless, the WTO ruled against the U.S. for unfairly subsidizing cotton production, and the Americans simply ignored that ruling.
The real issue in this case has nothing to do with the WTO, it's all about NAFTA. The NAFTA ruling favored Canada in the terms of our specific agreement with the U.S. As we know the Americans payed no attention to it. So the real question is Why do we have it if half the parties ignore arbitration that goes against them? A recent poll showed 77% of Canadians favor holding back oil and gas exports to the U.S. in retaliation. (who wants to bet that the lion's share of those voting against were Albertans?)
Personally I wouldn't touch the oil or any other product going south. If it's broke...fix it , if it can't be fixed...scrap it. It's time for Canada to strike out on its own on the seas of international commerce, scrap N.A.F.T.A. Now!
Yeah I'm not sure NAFTA is a good thing anymore. The only problem with holding back oil or anything for that matter. We sorta have a 'you scratch my back I'll scratch yours' type relationship with the US. For instance Ontario ships truck loads of Canadian garbage into Michigan and in return Ontario disposes of some of Michigans toxic waste. So when and if it ever happens watch the shit hit the fan.
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