:: rawblogXport ::

:: Tuesday, August 05, 2003 ::

U.S. industry V-P calls softwood deal bad to all: Canada has found an unlikely ally in Rayburn and his Washington, D.C.-based organization in the ongoing lumber battle.

'When Canada wins, we win,' Rayburn says.

He argues that the dispute not only hurts Canada but also U.S. home builders who rely on Canadian timber.

'Canada has a product that home builders in the United States have to have,' he said. 'We need Canadian softwood lumber.'

Canadian lumber is better quality than much of the U.S.-produced lumber, and is used for different purposes in home construction.

Canada exports mainly spruce and white pine, used for framing walls. The principal type of U.S. lumber, southern yellow pine, is good for floor joists but tends to warp when used in walls. Other more suitable wood species, such as Douglas fir, are in short supply in the U.S.

posted 8:14 AM :: reference link :: 0 comments ::

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