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published 10|26|05
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Martin tells Bush he'll take softwood lumber dispute to U.S. courts, public
12:03 PM EDT Oct 26 TERRY PEDWELL OTTAWA (CP) - Prime Minister Paul Martin has warned U.S. President George W. Bush that Canada will wage its battle over softwood lumber in American courts - and in the court of public opinion. Martin spoke with Bush by phone Friday but the leaders failed to make any progress on the softwood issue. It was unclear which leader made the call. But officials said afterwards that neither budged from his original position on softwood lumber during the 20-minute chat. Bush maintained that he prefers a negotiated settlement, said officials for both Martin and the president. "The president said he believes we need to get back to the negotiating table and try to find a lasting solution," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan. "This is an issue that has gone on for some time. And we would like to see it resolved." The prime minister insisted there's no reason for Canada to negotiate because it has already won all NAFTA challenges to U.S. tariffs and duties that have cost Canadian lumber firms $5 billion. "Canada has won panel decision after panel decision," Martin said later as he oversaw the inauguration of a new Quebec-U.S. border crossing. "Fundamentally, what one might call the final court of appeal under NAFTA has also confirmed the Canadian position. "And that should be respected." Canada estimates that, based on past NAFTA rulings, the U.S. should pay back at least $3.5 billion of the duties collected so far. A dispute resolution panel under the North American Free Trade Agreement has five times ordered U.S. trade officials to review the way they determine Canadian lumber exports are subsidized. The NAFTA panel, made up of three American and two Canadian trade experts, recently gave the United States until Oct. 28 to comply. If the panel's ruling is implemented, the countervailing duty rate would fall below one per cent, which under trade rules would result in its cancellation, according to the B.C. Lumber Trade Council. During Friday's phone call, the leaders also discussed Canada's opposition to a U.S. plan to drill for oil in an Alaska Arctic wildlife refugee. Bush insisted he must move forward because his country needs oil. The NDP's Julian says Canada should be talking about an export levy on energy to retaliate for the softwood duties. "Americans respect countries that stand up for themselves," he said. © The Canadian Press, 2005 |
Canada buying into 6/49 fantasy Record jackpot hits $40 million Tickets still being sold until 9 p.m. DEBRA BLACK STAFF REPORTER It is Canada's biggest lottery prize ever, and it seems just about everyone across the country wants a piece of the action. Tonight's Lotto 6/49 estimated jackpot of $40 million has triggered lottery fever even though the odds of winning are just under one in 14 million. But those nearly impossible odds didn't stop people from wanting to get in on the excitement yesterday. "It only takes one ticket to win," said one woman, who didn't want to give her name, as she stopped over her lunch hour to buy a ticket at the Eaton Centre. Ticket sales are brisk, said Teresa Roncon, a spokesperson for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., with $4 million worth of sales in Ontario in an eight-hour period starting at 6 a.m. yesterday. Tickets for the record-breaking prize went on sale Sunday morning and had reached $14 million in Ontario by mid-afternoon yesterday, Roncon said. Figures from across Canada were not available. Conversations at fast-food outlets, around water coolers and at trendy Queen St. W. cafés are focusing on the big prize. Lineups at convenience stores and lottery kiosks across the GTA were long yesterday as people patiently waited to buy a ticket. At Shefield & Sons, a convenience store at the Eaton Centre, customers lined up three or four at a time in the tiny store, which has a sign proudly proclaiming it sold a winning lottery ticket for the Lotto Super 7 for $54,330.30 Sales are three or four times heavier than usual, store owner Jong Kim said. "Tuesday is not usually busy, but today a lot of people are playing," he said, estimating between 200 and 300 people had bought tickets by lunchtime. But the real crunch is yet to come, with lottery officials saying half the tickets for a large jackpot are sold on the day of the draw. And half of those tickets are purchased as people go home from work. So today should be even busier, with lottery outlets selling $2 tickets until 9 p.m. Frank Frangipane wasn't leaving his purchase to the last minute. He bought his ticket yesterday and had definite plans should he win. Topping the list was giving a substantial portion of the money to his extended family, donating some to charity and putting some aside to secure his children's future. "I would hope with such a large amount of money ... that it wouldn't change our lives in a negative way," said the 44-year-old Frangipane. "Money is the root of all evil. ... Materialism is not something I'd want to focus on with this kind of money. I would hope it wouldn't alter my life too significantly 'cause I'm very happy with my life." The lineups were 20 deep at the Lotto Centre at First Canadian Place in the heart of the financial district as would-be winners waited to buy a ticket. Eiju Daudelin, who had just bought Lotto 6/49 tickets for himself and a group of colleagues at a nearby insurance company, didn't have any hesitation about what he would do with his share of the jackpot. "I'd take retirement. And of my share of the $40 million, I'd give $1 million each to my family. I don't have a large family. I'd give some to charity — Doctors Without Borders — and then I'd invest some. "And I'd pay the mortgage, of course." |
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