Columnists
Calling On All Canadians To Boycott American Goods
By D.L. McCracken
Aug 11, 2005, 12:57

Exactly who in the hell do they think they are? The United States of America has yet again decided that they are above the law and just short of thumbing their collective noses at us, have dismissed the NAFTA ruling which concluded that the U.S. illegally collected over $5 billion in tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber.

Canadian officials after being informed of the decision made it known that they expected the ill-gotten $5 billion to be returned and they made it quite clear that they expected 3 years of accumulated interest on that $5 billion.

This decision is the culmination of several lumber disputes that has been ongoing between Canada and the United States since 1982. This latest dispute began in 2001 after the expiration of a five-year softwood lumber agreement. In that dispute the U.S. imposed anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Canadian lumber imports. "A countervailing duty is a tariff imposed against imports from a specific country in order to offset an unfair advantage caused by a government subsidy", according to a legal definition. In this case the U.S. imposed the tariff on softwood lumber imports received from Canada. The U.S. at the same time imposed an anti-dumping petition against Canada.

Since 2001, Canada has repeatedly attempted to negotiate an agreeable resolution to this current dispute and went so far as to file seven official appeals - three to NAFTA and four to the WTO. Because the two countries continued to be deadlocked, Canada finally appealed to the Extraordinary Challenge Committee set up by NAFTA which consisted of three judges - one American and two Canadians. That committee ruled unanimously against the United States and in favour of Canada.

One would think on the surface that this entire sorry mess was finally over. As is the case in any legal ruling there is a winner and a loser. The loser is supposed to abide by the decision and follow whatever steps are set out against them.

But alas, we're talking about the United States where nothing is black and white but instead are various shades of red, white and blue. A country which has already accumulated a track record of making their own rules to suit themselves, is at it again. Officials in Washington have stated unequivocally that their country has no intentions of following the NAFTA ruling. But they don't stop there. The lumber industry in the United States is now planning to challenge the authority of NAFTA when it involves anything to do with the United States.

Sound familiar? Way back when, as the United States was attempting to convince the world that an attack on Iraq was justified, the U.S. administration began challenging the United Nation's authority over America. Basically, the American administration began stomping their feet and crying to the UN that "you're not the boss of us!" And the rest as they say is history.

So, what can Canada do? We know and more importantly they know, that the U.S. has Canada by the shorthairs and they use every opportunity available to tug a little tighter. Should Canada impose trade embargos and sanctions against U.S. products? How about withdrawing from the U.S.-friendly North American Free Trade Agreement? If we were situated geographically anywhere else on this planet, those options might just be doable. But we're stuck with them - literally.

If it was up to me, I'd close the borders but actions like that would be this writer cutting off the nose to spite the face. How about closing the borders for a short undetermined period of time? Somebody needs to stand up to them if for no other reason then to try to make them understand that the United States of America was not been personally selected by a supreme being to be master of the universe.

So in the end it's up to the individual Canadian - again. This writer will be exercising extra diligence in buying Canadian. It can be done. One person alone will not make a difference but if 10 million of us decide to do the same thing, we will be speaking with a strong and united voice.

Do your home work. In stores, examine the labels before purchasing. That product that says 'Made in America' is more than likely made in Canada too and it's usually better quality.

Join the chant - "I'm a Canadian and I don't have an 'Uncle Sam'!"


© Copyright 2004 by HalifaxLive.com