I'm gonna be first! I'm gonna be first! Do excuse me, I get so few thrills:

To: National Media
Subject: [PC PRESS RELEASE] What's the rush?

Well, I'm readable nationally, and I broadcast through a medium... Yeah I count.




PRESS RELEASE

What's the rush?


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 11, 2006

Toronto, ON – Only one reason exists for the Government of Canada
bullying those concerned about the terms of the Canada-United States
Agreement on Softwood Lumber. Prime Minister Harper wants to have it
ready to be signed when he meets with President Bush early in July.
That strategy has two benefits. The first is that it prevents
concerned Canadians from making the case to the Canadian public that
this is a bad deal. Mr. Harper does not want Canadians to realize
that this new agreement gives us less than we have already won under
existing agreements and dispute mechanisms. The second reason for
speedy passage is that it keeps this issue out of the U.S. mid-term
elections and prevents U.S. consumers from realizing it is a bad deal
for them as well – adding as much as $1,000 to the price of a new home.

All prior NAFTA panels have ruled that claims of subsidies are
unsubstantiated. Yet this new agreement not only gives up these prior
judicial victories, but it also requires a complete surrender of
Canadian sovereignty in the area of forestry management. Despite
their constitutional rights, Provinces cannot implement any new
forestry management practices without permission from Washington, "the
anti-circumvention clause". Further, the deal is also predicated on
U.S. approval of new and as of yet unspecified practices which will
also require U.S. approval. In short, we have won nothing and paid
dearly.

Coast Forest Products Association Rick Jeffrey was absolutely correct
in stating "We think that it's better for us to go slower and either
reconvene Parliament . . . and get a good deal rather than rushing
through the agreement and getting a bad deal,"

How will the Prime Minister react should some of the lawsuits launched
to protect producers interests are not withdrawn? Presumably he will
follow the same strategy that has mired Canadians in Afghanistan for
an additional two years. He will retreat from the press, rush
through debate and label anyone who dares to oppose him as
anti-American.

What should he do? He should face down American pressure and press
forward with the NAFTA dispute settlement process.

He should stand up for Canadian producers interests. He should
realize that Canada's window of opportunity lies in the upcoming
American Mid Term Elections .

There are interests in the United States in support of the NAFTA
findings and opposing the Harper-Bush Agreement. Groups like the
American Consumers for Affordable Homes and the Manufactured Housing
Institute do not support having an estimated $1 000.00 U.S. added to
the cost of every home constructed in the United States of America.
These groups oppose the representatives of the U.S. Lumber lobby whose
support has been purchased with over 500,000,000 dollars taken
illegally from Canadian companies.

Tracy Parsons, Leader of the Progressive Canadian (PC) Party
reiterated her statement of August 2005 "The current US policy has had
dire impacts on Canada, but also has negative consequences for the
average American. For instance, a US homebuyer is paying far more
than they need to for housing. Our government needs to reach out and
get this message out."

Jim Love, President of the PC Party restated the Party's position "The
BC Chamber of Commerce has taken the lead in acting to influence
American public opinion. The Progressive Canadian (PC) Party urges
the Government of Canada to follow their lead. With American mid-term
elections the U.S. government will not want to be seen as pandering to
special interests at the expense of consumers."

The Progressive Canadian (PC) Party is a registered Federal Political
Party comprised of progressive-conservative minded Canadians
rebuilding from the roots of the former Progressive Conservative
Party. For more information on the PC Party, it's policies, structure
or general information, go to www.progressivecanadian.org or call
866-812-6972.


-30-


For more information or to request an interview, please contact:

Tracy Parsons, Leader
Progressive Canadian Party
Tel 866-812-6972
tracy.parsons@pcparty.org

Jim Love, President
Progressive Canadian Party
Tel (647) 403-5519
jim.love@pcparty.org


QUOTES AND INFORMATION CITED DRAWN FROM:

Basic Terms of a Canada-United States Agreement on Softwood Lumber
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/eicb/softwood/basic-terms-en.asp

Other Clauses: The Parties will agree to clauses with respect to the
following issues:

a. litigation: the Parties will take steps to terminate all
litigation by the entry into force of the Agreement;

c. anti-circumvention: Neither Party will take action to circumvent
commitments set out in the Agreement, or to offset the export measure.

Policy Exits: Canada, with full participation of the provinces, and
the US will make best efforts to define "policy exits" from the export
measure for each province within 18 months of entry into force of
this agreement.

=====
Forest policies must now be vetted by U.S.
Emerson: B.C.'s timber pricing system awaits Washington approval
http://www.canada.com/cityguides/winnipeg/info/story.html?id=fdc62e52-4e6b-460b-81c8-c991ca12bfcc&k=4714&p=2
Gordon Hamilton, Vancouver Sun
Published: Saturday, May 13, 2006

======
B.C. stands firm on forest policy
Analyst says U.S. position could prove to be a deal breaker

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=7cda330a-23be-453d-9763-a5216ffc5e7c&k=62526
Gordon Hamilton, CanWest News Service
Published: Saturday, June 03, 2006

"We are going to compete and this deal is going to be good for British
Columbia as well as Canada or it's not going to be a deal."

Campbell's remarks came two days after the U.S. tabled its own draft
of the proposed softwood lumber agreement that Canadian forest leaders
say would result in a policy freeze on all Canadian forests.

The U.S. draft includes an anti-circumvention clause that would kill
any attempts at market reform, or at combatting the effects of the
mountain pine beetle infestation for the seven-year term of the agreement

=====
Emerson hopes softwood legislation can be introduced before fall
by Romeo St. Martin
http://www.politicswatch.com/softwood-june5-2006.htm
[PoliticsWatch posted 6:00 p.m. June 5, 2006]

Last week, the trade committee spent two days listening to about a
dozen lumber companies and lumber groups.

The majority of those appearing all said they had problems with
various components of the deal, ranging from the speed that duties
will be refunded to language in the agreement some say would be an
admission that Canada subsidized its industry and dumped lumber into
the U.S. market.

=====
Opposition parties soften up on softwood
by Romeo St. Martin
http://www.politicswatch.com/softwood-may29-2006.htm
[PoliticsWatch posted 6:45 p.m. May 29, 2006]

Criticism ranged from concerns about the government trying to rush the
deal through without what the witnesses consider proper consultation.

Jamie Lim, of the Ontario Forest Industries Association, criticized
new language in the 24-page U.S. draft proposal given to the industry
on Friday that she said in effects admits that Canada had been dumping
lumber into the U.S. and subsidizing its industry.

"That kind of language will not preserve our legal victories," she
said, describing it as "punishment" of the Canadian industry and an
admission of "guilt."

Carl Grenier of the Free Trade Lumber Council, meanwhile, accused the
Harper government of giving up the fight and telling the industry to
take the deal to resolve the dispute.

"No industry in the world can fight an attack from the U.S.
government, which is supporting its industry, without the support of
its government," he said.

"We've been told this is the deal. This is a take-it-or-leave-it
thing. And if you leave it, don't expect support. We were told that."

=====
Ottawa suckered on softwood -- again
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/westview/story/3521029p-4068651c.html
Wed May 31 2006 FRANCES RUSSELL

Gordon Gibson, former B.C. Liberal leader, political commentator and
Fraser Institute fellow with high-level connections to the B.C.
government and its lumber industry, calls the new softwood lumber
agreement negotiated by the Harper Conservatives "a sellout."

Harper was "snookered" by the Bush administration, says Gibson. "We
were within months of winning, finally and decisively, in a U.S. (not
free trade) court with the power to order (the U.S.) to cease and desist."

=====
Ontario groups' lawsuits revive softwood feud
Action aimed at forcing sides to allow NAFTA panel to complete its review
http://www.globeadvisor.com/servlet/ArticleNews/story/gam/20060517/RSOFTWOOD17

The groups -- the Ontario Lumber Manufacturers Association (OLMA) and
the Ontario Forest Industries Association (OFIA) -- are trying to
force the two governments to allow a North American free-trade
agreement dispute panel to complete its review of the case.

=====
Lumber producers angry as Ottawa pushes for Sunday deal on softwood
19:28:52 EDT Jun 9, 2006
STEVE MERTL
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/business/060609/b0609122.html

"We think that it's better for us to go slower and either reconvene
Parliament . . . and get a good deal rather than rushing through the
agreement and getting a bad deal," association president Rick Jeffrey
said Friday.

Meanwhile, lumber remanufacturing companies who make everything from
siding to flooring are upset that some of the products previously
exempt from duties are now captured by the agreement.

"This deal is a terrible deal," said Michael Wiggin, who operates
century-old Wynndel Box and Lumber Co., a family-run sawmill and
remanufacturing operation in the southern B.C., Interior.

"There has been virtually zero meaningful consultation with industry.
They're hanging the remaners out."

Wynndel is a party to two trade lawsuits that are among those that
must be withdrawn before the deal can be implemented.

Wiggin said he has no intention of withdrawing, nor will he sign a
waiver allowing some of the duties Wynndel paid to be funnelled into
U.S. industry coffers.

But he said a provision of the draft agreement threatens such holdouts
with legal action by Ottawa if they don't comply.

"They're going to say we don't care if you withdraw those lawsuits,
we're going to take your property anyway," said Wiggin.

"They're saying if we don't roll over and sign . . . meaning
expropriation."

Annex 2 of the June 6 draft of the agreement, obtained by The Canadian
Press, calls for the U.S. duty cash deposits to be funnelled to the
Canadian government for distribution instead of directly to the
companies that paid them.

Ottawa would then dole out the money, less the amount being handed
over to U.S. producers and the special fund.

The draft language states that if companies fail to assign their
portion of the cash deposits, "these deposits and liquidated duties
will be subject to a measure to recover these duties."

=====
Precedent for funding LUMBER AWARENESS AND TRADE ADVOCACY INITIATIVES
http://w01.international.gc.ca/minpub/Publication.asp?publication_id=379283&Language=E

=====
American interests opposing duties:

American Consumers for Affordable Homes (ACAH) 1-703-536-7776
http://www.acah.org/052506.htm

Manufactured Housing Institute Softwood Lumber Trade
http://www.manufacturedhousing.org/lib/showtemp_detail01.asp?id=114&cat=6

The Protectionists Strike Back: Examining the Defense of Trade
Restrictions on Lumber
http://www.freetrade.org/new/dearcolleague.html#_ftn7

You know what? I got nothin' to add here. Economic Nationalists and the Fraser Institute on the same side... It happens... at times.

JJ For Vendetta:

JJ had a little injury, apparently. Guess he was out on his morning stroll and was hit by a motorboat. Damned if the socialist motorboat didn't call him a neo-conservative, whatever that is, political science majors... Doesn't stop him from a good cartoon on the old game of Want, Settle, Get. (You want and end to Terror groups. You'll settle for a stable democracy in Iraq. You get Zarcowi) So, give my love to JJ, because I trust his spam filter no longer accepts it at the source... Good show JJ McCullough. (For once.)