Province Says Proposed Softwood Deal Flawed

Province Says Proposed Softwood Deal Flawed

Thursday, December 18, 2003 at 13:44

The Saskatchewan government says the latest proposal to end the softwood lumber dispute is significantly flawed and needs to be changed.

The province issued its formal response to the proposed softwood agreement yesterday.

Government Relations Minister Len Taylor says the proposal on the table right now is a problem for Saskatchewan’s lumber producers.

He says the government’s biggest concern is that it wouldn’t provide smaller sawmills with their fair share of the export quota.

A few of those mills are owned by northern Aboriginal groups.

Taylor says the Saskatchewan forestry industry isn’t being treated fairly and is asking the federal government to make changes to the proposed agreement.