:: rawblogXport ::

:: Saturday, December 06, 2003 ::

U.S., Canada softwood accord near By Peter Morton and Ian Jack, Financial Post
Sources close to the talks last night said the U.S. lumber industry has signed off on a deal that would see Canadian producers have a duty-free access to 31.5% of the market. Canadian lumber over that would face an import duty at least US$200 per thousand board feet, a standard measure of construction lumber.

But what remained to be sorted out last night was how the four Canadian provinces, as well as the Maritime provinces, would divide up the market.

Lumber firms big threat to proposed softwood deal By STEVEN CHASE, PETER KENNEDY, BARRIE McKENNA
OTTAWA, VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON -- Opposition from Canadian timber companies is shaping up to be the biggest threat to consummating a deal that's been largely hammered out by Canada and the United States on ending the $10-billion cross-border softwood dispute.

Some forestry producers are angry at what they consider a weak deal taking shape, including Ottawa's willingness to let the United States keep almost half the $1.7-billion (U.S.) in duties collected so far by Washington, cash they fear will end up in the pockets of U.S. lumber mills.

posted 8:31 AM :: reference link :: 0 comments ::

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