Province Will Keep Working On Forestry

Province Will Keep Working On Forestry

Thursday, April 02, 2009 at 13:49

Saskatchewan’s Intergovernmental Affairs Minister says he will continue to vigorously defend Saskatchewan’s forest industry.

Minister Bill Boyd says he will continue to press the federal government to respond to a Canada-U.S. Softwood Lumber Agreement tribunal ruling in a way that ensures the province’s industry faces no further harm.

Boyd says Saskatchewan did not exceed the export quota and therefore received no benefit, so he says the province’s industry should not be penalized.

In its submission to the tribunal, the U.S. government noted Saskatchewan was the only affected province that was below its quota.

The tribunal ruled Canada breached the SLA by how it calcuated export quota levels for the first half of 2007 but all sides agree Saskatchewan’s exports did not exceed its quotas at any time during that period.

Yesterday in response to the tribunal ruling, the federal government announced it has made available to the US a payment of 46.7 million dollars as a cure for a breach of its obligation, and it will ask the tribunal to confirm that this lump sum payment is an adquate cure and no additional export charge be imposed.

However, the in the event the tribunal rules against Canada and an additional charge on the softwood lumber industry is required, the federal government has indicated it will comply.