Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Layton calls for immediate recall of Parliament to debate softwood deal - Tuesday July 4, 2006
KENORA - NDP Leader Jack Layton has called on Prime Minster Harper to immediately reconvene Parliament to debate the proposed softwood lumber agreement with the United States announced on Saturday.
Harper is scheduled to visit Washington for a signing ceremony photo-op on July 6.
The call comes as Layton completes a tour of Northern Ontario communities including Timmins and Kenora where there is deep concern that this deal will have a lasting negative impact on Canadian lumber communities.
“Harper’s signature won’t mean a thing if he doesn’t have the backing of Parliament, “said Layton, “and the NDP will certainly not be supporting this deal as it stands. The impact of this agreement will be felt in communities across the country and it is incumbent on the Prime Minister to immediately call Parliament back so the MPs who were elected to represent those communities can debate the contents of this bad deal.”
Over the weekend, industry representatives from Quebec to British Columbia expressed their concerns over the agreement.
“The Conservatives have capitulated on everything” said NDP International Trade Critic Peter Julian (New Westminster-Burnaby). “This deal is bad for BC, it’s bad for our lumber industry from coast to coast and if it goes through, it will declare open season on any Canadian industry the US wants to target with illegal tariffs because they know they’ll be rewarded.
Harper is scheduled to visit Washington for a signing ceremony photo-op on July 6.
The call comes as Layton completes a tour of Northern Ontario communities including Timmins and Kenora where there is deep concern that this deal will have a lasting negative impact on Canadian lumber communities.
“Harper’s signature won’t mean a thing if he doesn’t have the backing of Parliament, “said Layton, “and the NDP will certainly not be supporting this deal as it stands. The impact of this agreement will be felt in communities across the country and it is incumbent on the Prime Minister to immediately call Parliament back so the MPs who were elected to represent those communities can debate the contents of this bad deal.”
Over the weekend, industry representatives from Quebec to British Columbia expressed their concerns over the agreement.
“The Conservatives have capitulated on everything” said NDP International Trade Critic Peter Julian (New Westminster-Burnaby). “This deal is bad for BC, it’s bad for our lumber industry from coast to coast and if it goes through, it will declare open season on any Canadian industry the US wants to target with illegal tariffs because they know they’ll be rewarded.
# posted by Francis Chartrand @ 8:01 PM 
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