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Press Releases: Paul Martin squanders softwood win: DuncanPosted on Tuesday, August 16 @ 09:00:00 CDT by capebretoner
15 August 2005
OTTAWA – Official Opposition Natural Resources Critic John Duncan expressed concern today with the federal government’s slow response to the final NAFTA ruling last week, which sided with Canada in the softwood lumber dispute.
“By not immediately calling the U.S. President following the final NAFTA ruling on the softwood dispute, Prime Minister Paul Martin has wasted precious time and momentum in getting the U.S. to respect NAFTA and end the dispute,” said Duncan.
“Canada must display outrage with the lack of U.S. compliance with a long, hard fought litigation under international trade rules if we want the international community to join us in putting pressure on the U.S.,” said Duncan.
“It has been five days since the final NAFTA ruling and despite the urging of Canada’s premiers, the softwood lumber industry and the Official Opposition, the prime minister has still not spoken with the president of the United States,” said Duncan.
“The outcome of the ruling was predictable and the federal government had plenty of time to prepare the response. Instead, the Liberal cabinet has been engaged in phoney domestic posturing and the prime minister has dithered away five days without engaging the U.S. president, effectively weakening the ruling,” said Duncan.
“The agonizingly weak response of the federal government to the ruling is squandering the significance of Canada’s victory. International Trade Minister Jim Peterson undercut the rulings by immediately calling for negotiations, which is completely in line with U.S. talking points,” said Duncan.
“The best chance for a speedy resolution to the world’s largest bilateral trade dispute is to engage President Bush while threatening strong retaliation with international support. The federal Liberals have not effectively raised the issue with the U.S. administration or shown the backbone necessary to end the dispute,” said Duncan.
For the original Release visit: http://www.conservative.ca/EN/news_releases/paul_martin_squanders_softwood_win:_duncan/
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