N.B. softwood lumber duties don't come up in Maine governor's visit with Trump
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Keith Jagger
CBC seems quite complacent to the real story here and in fact implicitly promoting the real back story here:
Irving, which gets much of its wood supply from "free" public lands and gets a subsidized electricity supply pays a paltry 3% rate.
Meanwhile, their competing companies who buy their wood primarily from private sources and get next to no subsidies pay a 19% rate.
This is nothing but a blatant attempt for the Irving's to drive every independent owned business out of business - all with the approval of the CBC.
McKenna's guy - Francis McGuire, once told Terry Seguin in an interview that he could for- see a time when there would be only one wood company in the province.
Oh well....... let's start another story about Donald Trump..........
Wow.
Irving, which gets much of its wood supply from "free" public lands and gets a subsidized electricity supply pays a paltry 3% rate.
Meanwhile, their competing companies who buy their wood primarily from private sources and get next to no subsidies pay a 19% rate.
This is nothing but a blatant attempt for the Irving's to drive every independent owned business out of business - all with the approval of the CBC.
McKenna's guy - Francis McGuire, once told Terry Seguin in an interview that he could for- see a time when there would be only one wood company in the province.
Oh well....... let's start another story about Donald Trump..........
Wow.
David Raymond Amos
@Keith Jagger Well put sir.
William Roberts
Should read >>New
Brunswick is fighting For Irving to regain its longtime exemption from
U.S. softwood duties. They top out at 9.81% while everyone else pays
triple. Why is that?
David Raymond Amos
@William Roberts Melanson was pulling everybody's leg on CBC info morning show and everybody knew it.
FYI I supported the sneaky Yankee LePage before he got elected However as soon as he got sworn and drank the Kool Aid he proved himself to no better than the rest of his cohorts.
FYI I supported the sneaky Yankee LePage before he got elected However as soon as he got sworn and drank the Kool Aid he proved himself to no better than the rest of his cohorts.
Tom Evans
The Irvings are another step
closer to their end game, complete control of New Brunswick. The other
players in softwood lumber here in New Brunswick will be strapped with
heavy tariffs, while the Irvings negotiate a much, much lower one. Watch
them buy up the smaller mills, one by one, as they go under. And the
people will praise them as saviors, as they kill competition and become
the only game in town... And you can bet the Provincial Government will hand them property tax breaks in the 80-90% territory.
David Raymond Amos
@Tom Evans Methinks the Irving Clan have had complete control for quite some time now
Tom Evans
@David Raymond Amos No, it just feels like i
Sean Onuaillain
CBC has bureaus in all four
provinces. Each one must have current knowledge of the state of the
industry in their province. So, instead of reporting on government press
releases perhaps it is time to do a story and tell us whether or not
NB's situation is in fact different then the other three provinces. And
if it is different, why?
David Raymond Amos
@Sean Onuaillain Good luck with that request.
John Sollows
Talk to Mainers about LePage. Hell, talk to Nova Scotians about how he misled us on support for the Yarmouth-Portland ferry.
He is as trustworthy as The Donald, or maybe even less so.
He is as trustworthy as The Donald, or maybe even less so.
David Raymond Amos
@John Sollows Here Here I second your remark
David Peters
@John Sollows
If the ferry cant support itself, then why have it?
If the ferry cant support itself, then why have it?
David Raymond Amos
@David Peters To support tourism etc.
John Sollows
@David Peters
Healthy babies need nursing. In this case, the nursing should be done by all who need it, including the Americans. The Portland tourist industry is very grateful to us.
Healthy babies need nursing. In this case, the nursing should be done by all who need it, including the Americans. The Portland tourist industry is very grateful to us.
David Peters
@David Raymond Amos
Really? If enough ppl were interested in coming, and the ferry were managed properly, it would pay for itself.
Let the market sort it out.
Really? If enough ppl were interested in coming, and the ferry were managed properly, it would pay for itself.
Let the market sort it out.
John Sollows
@David Peters
Bookings this year were up five times over last year at the start of the season.
Gotta give things a fair chance.
Bookings this year were up five times over last year at the start of the season.
Gotta give things a fair chance.
Rod Hill
Why in the world would anyone
expect LePage to go an inch out of his way with Trump? He models
himself on Trump.: Here is an amusing, but appalling, introduction to
this man:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB1bSJB3n10&app=desktop&ytbChannel=Full%20Frontal%20with%20Samantha%20Bee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB1bSJB3n10&app=desktop&ytbChannel=Full%20Frontal%20with%20Samantha%20Bee
Joe Allaire
@Rod Hill, how in the world anyone vote for people like this? Was he frozen a century ago and just brought back to life?
David Raymond Amos
@Joe Allaire However he is Melanson's hero N'esy Pas?
Johnnie Walker
Gallant cannot get anyone to do his dirty work for him...
David Raymond Amos
@Johnnie Walker Blaine Higgs
and his new buddies Dominic Cardy and Kelly Lamrock are doing their best
to assist Gallant. Their silence speaks volumes don't think?
Tim Biddiscombe
My understanding is that each
company had to apply separately. Fairly big process and the JDI was the
only one who could afford it. Thus the only one granted the exemption.
Being big has its advantages.
Being big has its advantages.
David Raymond Amos
@Tim Biddiscombe Yea the
Irving Clan certainly have enough gold to line the right pockets in
order to pay to play as the Yankees love to say
Gerry Ferguson
I'm sure the governor of Maine has bigger concerns for his constituents than keeping a provincial premier happy
David Raymond Amos
@Gerry Ferguson Lepage
probably doesn't even know Gallant's name Methinks that it is quite
likely his assistant has to remind him on any occasion that he must
address an issue with us as to what he needs to know about who is who in
Canada.
David Peters
'...the volume of wood coming
from government-owned Crown land in New Brunswick has reached a level
where it must be considered subsidized.'
This is what NB needs to fix. It's a monopoly situation that needs to be stopped. More competition amongst small businesses is better for everyone.
This is what NB needs to fix. It's a monopoly situation that needs to be stopped. More competition amongst small businesses is better for everyone.
David Raymond Amos
@David Peters I bet if the
the liberals reversed McKenna's game years ago and switched the primary
source of wood back to private wood lots the Yankees would be happy and
only the Irving Clan would cry
Tim Biddiscombe
Melanson....hook, line, sinker, rod, reel and arm.
Gullible.
Gullible.
Content disabled.
David Raymond Amos
@Tim Biddiscombe Methinks you are letting Melanson off the hook by merely calling him gullible
David Raymond Amos
@David Raymond Amos
Interesting that CBC blocked that comment Methinks it was for French
political reasons N'esy Pas Minister Joy and Hubby Lacroix?
David Raymond Amos
@Tim Biddiscombe Methinks you are letting Melanson off the hook by merely calling him gullible
Jonas Smith
This bunch will lie about anything.
David Raymond Amos
@Jonas Smith I think they are sincere when they say they love pork.
Mac Isaac
If New Brunswick or any of
its politicians (Liberal, P.C. or NDP) actually expect LePage to put
himself in potential conflict with one of his pals, we all need to give
our collective heads a very hard shake! Paul LePage is nearly as
pathological as Trump, so never count on him to do the "right thing".
David Raymond Amos
@Mac Isaac Yup
Rick Aubie
And why should they? They are 100% fully justified!
David Raymond Amos
@Rick Aubie Methinks either we have Free Trade or we don't
David Raymond Amos
@Rick Aubie Look at the
price we are compelled to sell the Yankees our oil for under the terms
of NAFTA. Ain't we subsidizing them?
Rick Aubie
@David Raymond Amos Free trade is not necessarily fair trade, nor are the subsidies being given out at our expense!
N.B. softwood lumber duties don't come up in Maine governor's visit with Trump
New Brunswick premier's office thought Paul LePage would raise concerns about duties
By Jacques Poitras, CBC News Posted: Jun 29, 2017 5:28 PM AT
New Brunswick is fighting to regain its longtime exemption
from American softwood duties. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)
Maine's governor didn't raise New Brunswick's softwood
lumber concerns with President Donald Trump this week after all, a
spokesperson said.
Paul LePage met with Trump at the White House on Wednesday and, according to the Gallant government, was supposed to make the case for exempting New Brunswick from new tariffs on softwood lumber exports.
"Our understanding is there will be a discussion at the White House tomorrow with Gov. LePage and New Brunswick's situation will be discussed," Trade Minister Roger Melanson told reporters on Tuesday.
Premier Brian Gallant's office later added that LePage's meeting would be with Trump himself.
But in response to a CBC News interview request Thursday, LePage's communications director, Peter Steele, said the topic wasn't raised.
"Softwood lumber did not come up during his visit," Steele said in an email.
"This is a very important issue to the Governor. He did speak with the premier on Tuesday and had hoped to discuss it in D.C., but just didn't get the chance."
New Brunswick is fighting to regain its longtime exemption from U.S. softwood duties.
Historically, all Atlantic provinces were exempt from U.S. trade sanctions on forestry. But in this latest skirmish, the exemption has been applied to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, but not to New Brunswick.
According to the U.S. Commerce Department, the volume of wood
coming from government-owned Crown land in New Brunswick has reached a
level where it must be considered subsidized.
The U.S. has imposed a 19 per cent countervailing tariff on all New Brunswick softwood companies except J.D. Irving Ltd., which has a three per cent rate because it persuaded the administration to investigate its subsidies individually.
Earlier this week, the U.S. imposed an additional 6.87 per cent anti-dumping duty on top of the earlier tariffs.
The three other Atlantic provinces are exempt from both duties.
Melanson said Tuesday that New Brunswick was using "every tool in the toolbox" to restore the exemption, including its link to Maine. LePagewas an early supporter of Trump.
In a June 9 letter, LePage asked Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to exempt all four Atlantic provinces and Quebec, arguing the forestry industry in those provinces is "seamlessly" integrated with his state.
He described "the vital importance of our cross-border trading partners and the good-paying jobs they provide."
He pointed to J.D. Irving's ownership of two of the largest sawmills in Maine and the link between the Twin Rivers pulp mill in Edmundston and its paper mill across the border in Madawaska, Maine.
There was no immediate comment from the Gallant government on the statement from LePage's office.
Paul LePage met with Trump at the White House on Wednesday and, according to the Gallant government, was supposed to make the case for exempting New Brunswick from new tariffs on softwood lumber exports.
"Our understanding is there will be a discussion at the White House tomorrow with Gov. LePage and New Brunswick's situation will be discussed," Trade Minister Roger Melanson told reporters on Tuesday.
Premier Brian Gallant's office later added that LePage's meeting would be with Trump himself.
But in response to a CBC News interview request Thursday, LePage's communications director, Peter Steele, said the topic wasn't raised.
"Softwood lumber did not come up during his visit," Steele said in an email.
"This is a very important issue to the Governor. He did speak with the premier on Tuesday and had hoped to discuss it in D.C., but just didn't get the chance."
Province exempted from duties
New Brunswick is fighting to regain its longtime exemption from U.S. softwood duties.
Historically, all Atlantic provinces were exempt from U.S. trade sanctions on forestry. But in this latest skirmish, the exemption has been applied to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, but not to New Brunswick.
Maine governor Paul LePage met with U.S.
president Donald Trump on Wednesday, but they didn't talk about the case
for exempting New Brunswick from tariffs on softwood lumber exports, as
the province had hoped.
The U.S. has imposed a 19 per cent countervailing tariff on all New Brunswick softwood companies except J.D. Irving Ltd., which has a three per cent rate because it persuaded the administration to investigate its subsidies individually.
- Irving Paper has tariff reduced in NAFTA battle with U.S.
- N.B mill owner tells U.S. thousands of Maine jobs at risk over softwood lumber duties
Earlier this week, the U.S. imposed an additional 6.87 per cent anti-dumping duty on top of the earlier tariffs.
The three other Atlantic provinces are exempt from both duties.
Cross-border business
Melanson said Tuesday that New Brunswick was using "every tool in the toolbox" to restore the exemption, including its link to Maine. LePagewas an early supporter of Trump.
In a June 9 letter, LePage asked Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to exempt all four Atlantic provinces and Quebec, arguing the forestry industry in those provinces is "seamlessly" integrated with his state.
He described "the vital importance of our cross-border trading partners and the good-paying jobs they provide."
He pointed to J.D. Irving's ownership of two of the largest sawmills in Maine and the link between the Twin Rivers pulp mill in Edmundston and its paper mill across the border in Madawaska, Maine.
There was no immediate comment from the Gallant government on the statement from LePage's office.
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