U.S. Softwood Lumber Industry Requests U.S. To Seek Extraordinary Challenge on NAFTA Panel Ruling
Not surprisingly, the Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports, the lobby group that represents the U.S. softwood lumber industry, will request the U.S. to seek an extraordinary challenge to the NAFTA panel ruling on softwood lumber. As a result of the NAFTA panel's decision the U.S. International Trade Commission voted on September 10, 2004 that imports of softwood lumber from Canada pose no threat of injury to the U.S. industry (see post below) .
To date, the U.S. has filed five extraordinary challenges to NAFTA panel rulings and lost all five times, including a case involving lumber in 1994.
Since Canadian oil and natural gas is owned by governments and sold to oil companies by the same method as timber, i.e., not open market methods, then perhaps the Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports can lobby Washington for a 22% to 27% tariff on "subsidized" oil.
Sadly it is the American consumer (voter and taxpayer) that is being taken for a ride by the Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports.
Posted by Anonymous | 11:52 AM