When a tree falls in the forest...do Canadian lumber producers get subsidies?

Canada has become used to taking it many different ways from the US but sometimes we do stand up for ourselves and fight back. The softwood lumber case is one of these issues.

Canadian softwood is hard for America to swallow. The US contends that Canadian lumber producers have an unfair market advantage as they get most of their lumber from Crown land at below market prices. The US took its case through the proper legal channels in the hopes of changing the Canadian system. THE US LOST on every avenue it pursued. They have now decided to ignore the trade ruling and continue to impose high duties on Canadian lumber.
Canadian Ambassador to the US, Frank McKenna was quite...well...Frank when speaking to reporters about the issue,

"You can't have it both ways.You can't carry out your appeal all the way to conclusion and then say when you lose, 'well, that doesn't count.'"It's like playing a game of poker and, if you lose the hand, saying 'let's negotiate the pot.' It doesn't work that way. You lose the hand, you pay the money, then you go on to the next hand."

Rightly put Frank.

As others have already said, ignoring the trade ruling only puts American trust and trade opportunities in jeopardy. What is NAFTA without a process that people are to follow? You don't change the rules after the fact!

US actions here should not be that surprising as it is still the BUSH regime in power. His regime has already clearly demonstrated its propensity for flouting international law and treaties on a number of issues. As often is the case there is one law for the US and others for the rest of the world. The greedy capitalist pig should always have his Cake and eat it too right...oh...whoops... I think I channeled Kim Jong-il through my body for a moment there.

Go Canada!!! In the immortal words of a truly famous Canadian
"Don't let your backbone slide" on this issue and let's stick it to the whiny Americans.

Canada's ambassador to United States warns trade rules could be unravelling
Softwood dispute endangers NAFTA, B.C. chamber writes U.S. counterparts