US ignores NAFTA ruling on Cdn lumber; Minister cancels talks in protest
TORONTO, (Aug. 17, 2005) — Canada has called off talks with the US over the ongoing softwood lumber dispute.
According to Canadian Press, Canada’s Trade Minister Jim Peterson cancelled a meeting scheduled for next Monday to protest Washington’s refusal to abide by a NAFTA panel ruling that sided with Canada’s position.
Last week, a NAFTA panel dismissed Washington’s claims that Canadian softwood exports are subsidized by Ottawa and would damage the US lumber industry.
Most US timber is harvested from private land at market prices, while in Canada, the government owns 90 percent of timberlands and charges fees for logging. The fee is based on the cost of maintaining and restoring the forest.
Ottawa called on the US to immediately return about $5 billion in antidumping duties collected from Canadian lumber companies since 2002, CP reports.
U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman pledged to keep in place punitive tariffs on Canada and seek a negotiated settlement.
— from Canadian Press
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