No-Win War: Neither Canada nor the U.S. can come out ahead in a trade showdown - but it may happen anyway

Jay Bryan Montreal Gazette Saturday
August 26, 2005

The following is an excerpt. To view the full article please visit the link below

Stung by a U.S. decision to keep collecting punitive tariffs on this country's lumber, Canadian political leaders have taken the unheard-of step of hinting they'll trigger a trade war. But is there any chance Canada would win such a conflict?

The U.S. move, which appears to flout the North American free trade agreement's arbitration process, has sparked an exceptional burst of outrage.

The U.S. position is "unacceptable," said Prime Minister Paul Martin this week. It's "a betrayal of the very intent of the original free trade agreement," said Lawrence Herman, a prominent Toronto trade lawyer.

Members of Martin's government have …

* * *

The opinions expressed in this article/multimedia are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIGI or its Board of Directors.