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Mike Hunter MLA: Today in the Vancouver Sun, Gordon Hamilton reported that US department of commerce undersecretary Grant Aldonas has come forward with some proposals that would satisfy the US lumber interests in regards to reaching a long term deal in softwood lumber. The terms of the deal are at this point sketchy, however it seems that what the US really wants is access to our BC timber through a process of open bidding. The implications of such a deal are to say the least frightening, and to go one step further I would say from a personal perspective I find the concept disgusting. As you know, the forest act in British Columbia allows for logs to be exported only when they are found to excess to our domestic needs. The forest sector in this province has contributed greatly to the standard of living we enjoy today. For our largest trading partner to propose that we open up our forests so that they may have unfettered access is outrageous. The last time I checked I thought that there was a border in place between our countries, which allowed us to have our own laws, developed for our benefit on this side of the border. Not laws that can be changed to benefit the US economy irrespective of the cost to British Columbians. Do you see anything positive coming out of an agreement which would dictate that our own domestic producers would have to bid against the American dollar for the right to cut our own logs? I certainly don't. There are legal actions taking place before NAFTA and WTO panels on behalf of Canadian producers, actions which may take some time to settle. Trade actions that Canada has won in the past. We need to pursue these dispute mechanisms, and not be brow beaten in to the wholesale takeover of our forest industry. How we run our affairs on this side of the Canada - US border is the business of Canadian citizens through the representation of our elected politicians. The job of government is to insure that our resources are utilized fully and to the best advantage of all British Columbians. It is not governments job to allow the takeover of our forest resource to a foreign power at the expense of our jobs and our future. I would hope Mr. Hunter that I can look forward
to you coming out publicly and speaking out on this very important
issue. Your constituents who work in the forest sector are depending
on you.It is time to take a stand. |
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