Tuesday, August 22, 2006
NDP MP Peter Julian wins cross-country hearings on softwood - Monday August 21, 2006
OTTAWA – Today, Peter Julian, NDP MP (Burnaby-New Westminster) and NDP Critic for International Trade received majority support for two motions at the Standing Committee on International Trade hearings on softwood lumber.
Mr. Julian’s first motion requires the Standing Committee on International Trade to hold hearings on softwood in Vancouver. The motion will also allow for hearings in Thunder Bay and Saguenay-Lac-St.Jean. Those hearings will be held upon the return of Parliament in the fall session, and will precede any vote on the issue in the House of Commons.
The second motion calls on the federal government to immediately introduce loan guarantees to assist the Canadian softwood lumber industry.
Julian grilled the Canadian Ambassador to U.S, Michael Wilson, who appeared before the Committee today and who played a key role in the negotiations leading to the draft agreement. The responses given by Mr. Wilson to Julian’s questioning confirmed the major flaws of this draft accord. Mr. Wilson admitted that there were no changes to the running rules, which would hinder the flexibility of the softwood industry by making it difficult to make business plans and predict cash flow. He also had to admit that the ability to terminate has been reduced to 18 months from 23 months.
“Currently, not only is this Conservative government giving $500 million to the U.S Lumber Coalition, the main adversary of the Canadian softwood lumber industry, but Harper’s government is also awarding George Bush a $450 million escrow fund to be spent at his own discretion,” stated Julian.
Representatives of the workers in the Canadian softwood industry have pressed for the development of a softwood fund, a measure that is fully supported by the NDP.
# posted by Francis Chartrand @ 9:56 PM 
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