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Puck
The Texan
Joined: 05 Jan 2004
Posts: 5596
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 Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:59 pm Canadian Leader Ready to Debate U.S. on Trade |
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CNN.com
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Canadian leader ready to debate U.S. on trade
Prime minister to press softwood issue as Rice makes first visit
OTTAWA, Canada (Reuters) -- Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin kept up his attack on U.S. trade policy on Monday as he prepared to meet Condoleezza Rice later in the day on her first official visit to Canada as U.S. secretary of state.
"Friends live up to their agreements," Martin said in calling on the United States to respect a ruling under the North American Free Trade Agreement on Canadian exports of softwood lumber.
When Martin took over as prime minister in December 2003, he pledged to improve relations with the United States, but he has taken off the diplomatic gloves in criticizing the U.S. position on softwood.
"Good relations with the United States does not mean that the prime minister of the country should not defend Canada," he said.
Rice has been America's top diplomat since February and has traversed the globe several times over, but this is her first visit to Canada since taking her post.
An earlier visit was scrapped in April after Canada decided not to join the U.S. missile defense plan.
Rice will seek further cooperation in fighting terrorism and try to lower tensions over softwood, which center on duties on Canadian wood. Washington says the wood is subsidized and unfairly dumped into the United States.
Martin said he would bring up the issue Monday night during dinner with Rice.
The U.S. position has been that while NAFTA has ruled in Ottawa's favor, the World Trade Organization has ruled for Washington, saying that subsidized Canadian lumber was threatening U.S. producers.
But Martin said NAFTA "trumps" the WTO. Martin brushed aside a question as to whether he was trying to win domestic political points ahead of a general election expected next April.
He said relations with the United States and with President Bush were good. He played down the fact that Rice had gone to other countries and regions before Canada, saying he fully understood her traveling to Iraq and the Middle East first.
Rice has visited more than 40 countries as secretary of state, traveling to places such as El Salvador and Latvia before Canada.
Copyright 2005 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Hitchhiker
Rear Admiral
Joined: 11 Aug 2004
Posts: 3514
Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Tue Oct 25, 2005 7:17 am |
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There's nothing to debate. The ruling was clear.
Of course Martin is posturing for political points. Regardless of why, however, he is at least doing the right thing for once. (Once again, I find it strange that I am in parital agreement with Stephen Harper, but I'll blame it on a bad dream.)
"Free trade" means nothing if we're going to bicker about it like children.
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