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Post by Dr. Drum on Apr 28, 2006 5:56:07 GMT -5
Can't say I'm decided one way or the other on that softwood deal yet. Really need to take in the details a bit more.
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Post by rockkid on Apr 28, 2006 7:17:42 GMT -5
Ah Phil shows what I know I thought it was a French language paper. And remember having grown up there I’m allowed to diss.  maarts…….. I don’t think he/she even wrote their name. I think Gaz this time is short for gazette not Gaston. Chicken shit! Can’t be bothered going up the chain, I’m sure they’d do nothing. I just saved it as my friendly local reporter asked me to keep him posted. When I do I may include that. My flags still flying. Base com hasn’t given us shit yet (crossing fingers) so far still not one reply from any member of the con party (guess they too are stuck on spelling) Kind of makes one disillusioned to say the least. |
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Post by rockkid on Apr 28, 2006 7:18:13 GMT -5
I'm on the fence re: softwood too.
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Post by phil on Apr 28, 2006 9:30:21 GMT -5
Well, the reality is quite simple ... The canadian companies from B.C., Ontario and Quebec were at the end of their ropes and they were ready to accept almost any kind of deal, as imperfect as it would be, just to stay in business. That is why they had to settle for only 4 billion of the 5 they payed Washington in compensatory duties
Canada's problem in this tug of war with the U.S. is that they are our sole client in the soft wood lumber industry so they had all the cards in their hand to impose their will and disregard every single favorable decisions won by Canada in the International commerce tribunal. It was easy for the U.S. to simply ignore them and keep on imposing their sanctions.
Half of the billion dollars that was owned by the U.S. will go to the American lumber companies, those same companies that created the problem in the first place !!
On the positive side, this settlement is good for 7 years with a 2 years "option" but we will have to see the fine prints to see how good it truly is ...
During this conflict, ten of thousands of jobs have been lost and many companies had to shut down.
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Post by phil on Apr 28, 2006 9:34:29 GMT -5
BAH ! I could have save myself the trouble and simply post this ...
Gone soft on softwood
Published: Friday, April 28, 2006
Since Canada's softwood lumber dispute with the United States has dragged on for so long, it is tempting to rejoice at news of any resolution. But from what we know of the agreement the two countries announced yesterday, it isn't fair to Canada. We could have done better.
The deal is too generous to American lumber producers. Even though they have been on the losing end of numerous World Trade Organization (WTO) and NAFTA hearings, the framework allows the United States to keep about US$1-billion of the penalty dues they have unfairly collected from Canadian softwood companies over the years.
This is a terrible precedent to set. The message is that flouting trade rulings is not only acceptable behaviour, but will be rewarded. Acceptance of such a deal is a de facto admission by Canada that what we have with the United States is not free trade, as such, but trade on its protectionist terms.
This is especially unwelcome coming, as it is, from a Conservative government. The North American Free Trade Agreement is, after all, one of the party's great legacies.
It is not just that the U.S. would unfairly retain about 22% of the duties it has collected since May, 2002. It is also that, if the final deal remains true to the available details (as of the time this page goes to press), U.S. softwood producers will be protected from Canadian competition by an export tax on Canadian softwood, which would kick in every time North American lumber prices fell below US$360 per 1,000 board-feet of softwood lumber.
The deal also caps the total amount of softwood Canada can export to the United States, eliminating the possibility that this country's producers will ever be able to compete to win a greater share of the U.S. market.
There is no question that the softwood industry will benefit from the stability and predictability that will come from the resolution of the decades-old lumber dispute. But a resolution for resolution's sake was not in our interests.
NAFTA itself is at risk. That agreement could become meaningless now that Canada is signing on to a deal that allows the United states to duck its responsibilities.
All this should be obvious to an economist such as Mr. Harper and a trade veteran such as International Trade Minister David Emerson. Canada's softwood producers deserved better.
© National Post 2006
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Post by Dr. Drum on Apr 29, 2006 6:00:22 GMT -5
Phil, I agree with you about all the downsides of this deal – it completely puts the lie to all the rhetoric about free trade and the billion dollars the Americans are pocketing basically amounts to extortion. Thing is, that is often the nature of these kinds of negotiations. Was there in reality a significantly better deal to be had? And is seven years of this better on balance than another seven years of litigation?
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Post by Dr. Drum on Apr 29, 2006 6:02:09 GMT -5
Accountability act 'a bureaucrat's dream,' information commissioner says
Last Updated Fri, 28 Apr 2006 22:02:23 EDT
CBC News
Canada's information commissioner launched a scathing attack against Stephen Harper on Friday, charging that the prime minister has done a complete about-face on a promise to make government more accountable.
In a special report to Parliament, John Reid said he had "grave concerns" about the Conservative's proposed accountability act, which is now under debate. He charged that it will actually reduce openness in government and make it easier to cover up potentially embarrassing scandals.
Employing unusually strong language, Reid said the legislation "will not strengthen the accountability of government through transparency, it will weaken it.
"No previous government has put forward a more retrograde and dangerous set of proposals to change the Access to Information Act," he wrote. "The new government has done exactly the things for which its predecessor had been ridiculed."
Reid referred to the Chrétien government and the sponsorship scandal, and noted that the Harper's Conservatives campaigned on a platform of accountability in the recent federal election campaign.
Harper promised more accountability, but the proposed act will "reduce the amount of information available to the public, weaken the role of the information commissioner and increase the government's ability to cover-up wrongdoing, shield itself from embarrassment and control the flow of information to Canadians," he wrote.
Reid called the latest proposals "a bureaucrat's dream."
The Harper government released its proposed reforms to the federal Access to Information Act earlier this month. They add 19 entities that would be covered by the act, but Reid pointed out that it also open 10 new loopholes that would allow civil servants to deny requests for information.
For example, the proposed legislation would prevent draft audits or audit papers from being released for 15 years.
In addition, Reid said the reforms would not require civil servants to create records, and would not give the information commissioner the investigative powers he is seeking.
The federal government objected to the language in Reid's report, but said it is willing to work with the commissioner to refine the legislation.
The language is "excessive," said John Baird, president of the Treasury Board, who said most of the differences are minor.
Baird acknowledged that the commissioner and the government disagree on some points, but he is willing to seek a compromise.
"We're keen to work with him on those areas where I think there can be some agreement," Baird said. The commissioner has "submitted some draft amendments. We're just currently looking at that."
Pat Martin said government needs to strike a balance between Reid's pro-access position and privacy. But Martin, an NDP member of Parliament from Winnipeg, said he takes the commissioner's concerns seriously.
"This is a pretty serious condemnation by the one leading authority on access to information," Martin said. "It was the culture of secrecy that allowed corruption to flourish in Ottawa during the Liberal years. John Reid has actually now said we may be in a worse situation."
Copyright ©2006 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - All Rights Reserved
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Post by phil on Apr 29, 2006 6:58:28 GMT -5
Thing is, that is often the nature of these kinds of negotiations.
What negotiations !?!
After losing every decisions made by the international Free Trade tribunals
the U.S. simply stonewalled the "negotiations"
until the situation became critical for the Canadian lumber industry ...
They got what they wanted and managed to keep part of the cash too !!
Business as usual ...
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Post by phil on Apr 29, 2006 8:10:20 GMT -5
Funny how in the "land of Free Entreprise", they've managed with this deal
to fix prices, determine market shares and give favors to powerful lobbies ...
The Soviets would have been proud !!
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Post by phil on Apr 29, 2006 10:56:41 GMT -5
PLACE YOUR BETS EARLY ... A biographical look at the 10 people running
for the leadership of the Liberal party in December, 2006.
1) Carolyn BennettAge: 55 One of only two female candidates in the Liberal leadership race, Ms. Bennett has made a name for herself as a well-respected Liberal MP and voice for social issues, including disabilities, women's issues and improved access to public health. 2) Maurizio Bevilacqua Age: 45 The six-term Liberal MP representing Vaughn, Ont., riding has positioned himself as a centralist candidate championing economic issues. 3) Scott Brison Age: 38 (turns 39 on May 10) Mr. Brison is the youngest of the 10 declared candidates in the race, but by no means the most politically inexperienced. He was born in Windsor, N.S. and was educated in the province, eventually graduating from Dalhousie University with a bachelor of commerce degree in finance. He now splits his time between Ottawa and Cheverie, N.S. 4) Stéphane Dion Age: 50 The only Quebec candidate in the leadership race, Mr. Dion has represented Saint-Laurent-Cartierville riding since 1996. 5) Ken Dryden Age: 59 Mr. Dryden is a lawyer, businessman, and author, but is perhaps best known for his role in six Stanley Cup wins in the 1970s as a goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens. Among his many achievements in the sport was being named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983. 6) Martha Hall Findlay Age: 46 Though never holding office, on Feb. 8, 2006, Ms. Hall Findlay became the first declared candidate for the federal Liberal leadership. The mother of three was the silver medalist at the 1979 National Ski Championship before graduating from the University of Toronto's International Relations program and then from Osgoode Hall Law School. 7) Michael Ignatieff Age: 58 (turns 59 on May 12) A renowned writer and academic, Mr. Ignatieff also describes himself as a life-long Liberal. As a student at the University of Toronto, he knocked on doors for former prime minister Lester B. Pearson in the 1965 election and attended the 1968 Liberal leadership convention as a delegate for Pierre Trudeau. As an academic, Mr. Ignatieff's teaching positions included stint at Harvard University. He left that post in 2005 to a visiting professor in human rights police at University of Toronto. 8) Gerard Kennedy Age: 45 Born in The Pas, Manitoba, Mr. Kennedy was educated in Manitoba, Ontario and Alberta. Before entering political life, Mr. Kennedy was well known for his work with food banks in different regions of the country. In 1983, he founded the Edmonton Food Bank. After moving to Ontario, he served as the executive director of the Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto, a role he held from 1986 to 1996. 9) Bob Rae Age: 57 Bob Rae, the former NDP premier of Ontario, had a long and storied history in the New Democrats before recently joining the Liberal Party. Mr. Rae was born in Ottawa and graduated with his law degree from the University of Toronto in 1969. He was co-Liberal leadership candidate Michael Ignatieff's roommate for a time during his studies at the U of T. He also was named a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford and studied a bachelor's degree of philosophy from Oxford University in 1971. He married Arlene Perly Rae and the couple had three daughters, Judith, Lisa and Eleanor. He first became active in politics when he volunteered on Pierre Trudeau's 1968. 10) Joe Volpe Age: 58 A former school administrator, Mr. Volpe was first elected to the House of Commons in 1988 after winning the hotly contested race for the Liberal nomination in Toronto's Eglinton-Lawrence riding. He has since been re-elected in each subsequent federal election. Before entering federal politics, Mr. Volpe had sought a seat in Ontario's legislature, but lost to the NDP candidate. Now I want odds ... Who's the frontrunner ... Underdogs ... Loser already ... Your favorite ... Least favorite ... First one to drop out of the race ... Complete bios can be foud here ... www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060428.wlibcandidates0428/BNStory/Front/?pageRequested=1 |
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Post by Dr. Drum on Apr 29, 2006 22:09:55 GMT -5
Odds ... Carolyn Bennett 90 – 1 Maurizio Bevilacqua 8 – 1 Scott Brison 30 – 1 Stéphane Dion 35 – 1 Ken Dryden 10 – 1 Martha Hall Findlay 100 – 1 Michael Ignatieff 2 – 1 Gerard Kennedy 4 – 1 Bob Rae 3 – 1 Joe Volpe 7 – 1 BTW, I think before the deadline arrives we’ll probably see a couple more names in the race – Denis Coderre and Senator Hervieux-Payette almost for sure; David McGuinty and John McCallum, possibly. Who's the frontrunner ... Ignatieff has both backroom and caucus support. Frontrunner for now but he’s pretty much untested on his feet, so we’ll have to see how he performs under fire. Underdogs ... Hall Findley obviously. Stéphane Dion has a hard slog ahead in his home province, which doesn’t help his case anywhere else... Candidates whose French is poor are at an obvious disadvantage (Bennett, Bevilacqua, to some extent Dryden)... Wouldn’t call Bob Rae an underdog but having only joined the party this month has got to hurt him. Loser already ... Scott Brison – short history with the party didn’t help but I think the CIBC e-mail story finished him. Your favorite ...  Least favorite ... I’m a bit concerned about where Ignatieff would take the country if he ever got to be prime minister. Turncoat Bob Rae... First one to drop out of the race ... Brison, who will throw whatever support he has to someone like Bevilacqua or maybe Ken Dryden.
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Post by rockkid on Apr 30, 2006 9:22:21 GMT -5
This guy’s father is AWESOME!!
Soldier's dad slams Harper
Videotape of ramp ceremony shown at funeral
WINGHAM -- The father of a local soldier killed in Afghanistan delivered a stirring eulogy for his son and a stern rebuke to Prime Minister Stephen Harper yesterday.
The death of Matthew Dinning, 23, and three other soldiers sparked two national controversies - Parliament Hill didn't lower its flag, and the news media were barred from the military base when the coffins returned to Canada.
"(This is) the video that Mr. Harper wouldn't let you see, of Matthew's arrival," Lincoln Dinning said at his son's funeral, held in the town arena, before playing a videotape of Dinning's casket arriving at CFB Trenton for the so-called ramp ceremony.
About 2,000 people - in a town of 3,000 - attended yesterday's public memorial.
On April 7, two weeks before Matthew Dinning's death last Saturday in a roadside bomb explosion, Lincoln Dinning wrote to Harper, requesting flags be lowered when a Canadian soldier dies.
Matthew talked about this," Lincoln said of the ongoing flag flap that so irked his son. "(It) made him upset.
"I never did get a response, but I know what it is," Lincoln, an OPP officer, said, referring to the Conservative government's decision not to lower the flag.
Breaking with a tradition of flag-lowering begun under the former Liberal government, the new Conservative government instead said it was reverting to the previous practice of honouring fallen soldiers on Remembrance Day.
A standing ovation followed the eulogy.
Dinning, a military police officer, was among four soldiers killed while providing security for Brig.-Gen. David Fraser. A roadside bomb shattered their light-armoured vehicle on April 22, shortly after the four saw Fraser safely onto a military helicopter.
Also at the service, Dinning's younger brother Brendon read a poem entitled Freedom Is Not Free and spoke of plans the two had to share a beer upon his scheduled return from Afghanistan in the fall.
"I love you, you're the best brother in the world and, Matt, this one's for you buddy," Dinning said as he cracked open a can.
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Post by rockkid on Apr 30, 2006 9:24:34 GMT -5
I found out the lady at CT who sold me the flag & pole……….. her hubby’s an MP, just back & served there with this guy.
They’ve driven by to look.
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Post by Dr. Drum on Apr 30, 2006 9:29:50 GMT -5
Saw a piece on the Dinning funeral on the news last evening, rockkid. Quite moving.
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Post by rockkid on Apr 30, 2006 10:20:21 GMT -5
You gotta love his dad. To be that strong. man o man.
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