When I taught this course four years ago this was an issue and when I taught this course 8 years ago it was an issue. This has been a BIG issue for many years and affects a BIG part of our economy.
1) What is the issue?
2) Why is it such a big part of our economy?
3) What is the larger issue? That is, what does this say about US-Canada relations?
4) How can we solve this issue?
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/politics/softwood-canada-us-trudeau-washington-visit-1.3470474
Mark:
ReplyDeleteThe issue here is over softwood lumber. There was an apparent "unfair" agreement made by Stephen Harper and so since that agreement didn't last, there has been a spotlight on Trudeau to create a new one as soon as possible. This has been a controversial issue The rivalry between U.S. and Canada on this issue can be dated back for decades. Lumber is tremendously important to our economy because the industry is basically a GDP and so our forests are greatly depended on for employment or other industries such as
engineering or construction. But basically the overall issue is over money. The US believes we have been quite unfair in comparison to their lumber industry in regards to our harvesting and export system. The two countries need to think of a really good compromise to solve this issue so that everyone signs whatever new agreement they come up with happily. But I really believe Trudeau should stand and fight because the lumber industry is fundamental to Canada.
references:
http://www.international.gc.ca/controls-controles/softwood-bois_oeuvre/index.aspx?lang=eng
http://www.cbc.ca/news2/background/softwood_lumber/
Very true. We need this to go in our favour or else we could see some serious economic trouble in Canada. If they can do this to us over lumber then what else could happen? Auto manufacturing, beef, oil?
ReplyDeleteThe softwood lumbar dispute has been an argument since 1982 when the United States lumbar industry complained that Canada’s low rates on lumbar is an unfair advantage. Because most of the forest resources are located in Canada, they are able to make the prices lower than the United States can offer. Coalitions have been set up in the past but the most recent agreement was the 2006 SLA (Soft Wood Lumbar Agreement).
ReplyDeleteThis is such a big part of our economy because the selling of lumbar is one of Canada’s biggest exports. We rely on it for our economy. We don’t have as nearly as many people as the United States does so we make a lot of money from them where as if we were to only sell softwood lumbar to other Canadians we wouldn’t make nearly as much money. Other industries in our economy also depend on the softwood lumbar industry, like the constriction industry.
The larger issue here is the dispute itself. We want to remain on good terms with the United States because they are one of the biggest world powers and they are an important asset to our economy. Without them our economy would be greatly affected, that is to say theirs will too. All in all both countries need each other for our economies to thrive. The only fair way to settle this issue is for both countries to come to an fair agreement that lets Canada continue to sell softwood lumbar to the United States but also allows the US softwood lumbar industry to continue to sell their lumbar without being greatly affected by the Canadian industry.
Sources:
Softwood lumber dispute. (2001, January 31). Retrieved April 4, 2016, from http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/softwood-lumber-dispute/
New deal or no deal? Canada-U.S. Softwood lumber hostilities loom. (2016, March 7). Retrieved April 4, 2016, from http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/politics/softwood-canada-us-trudeau-washington-visit-1.3470474