U.S. and Canada reach agreement
Seven-year softwood lumber deal eliminates U.S. duties on Canadian imports
By Brian Caldwell
STAFF WRITER
After seven years of tough talk and minimal progress, the United States and Canada have reached an agreement to end the softwood lumber cri-
sis. David L. Emerson, Canada’s Minister of International Trade, announced Oct. 12 that a seven-year accord was signed that will resolve the issue.
“Today, Canada’s softwood lumber industry breaks free from the endless
AND THE WINNER IS …
Kent Townsend of Kent Townsend Fine Furniture in Salida, Colo., was awarded the $5,000 grand prize in this year’s Craftsman’s Challenge for his Art Deco desk featuring ebony and pearwood veneers. The annual veneering application competition is sponsored by Veneer Technologies Inc. of Newport, N.C. Winners were honored at an awards presentation during IWF 2006 in Atlanta.
cycle of conflict, uncertainty and costly litigation,” said Emerson in a press release. “Very shortly, sawmills and producers in many of the more than 300 forestry-dependent communities across the country will see the return of more than $5 billion ( Canadian), breathing new life into the sector at this crucial time.
“This long-term agreement with the United States brings stability and certainty to our softwood lumber industry and to the many Canadian families and communities who depend on it.”
The U.S.-Canada Softwood Lumber Agreement, which went into effect Oct. 12, eliminates U.S. duties on Canadian imports that reached levels as high as 28 percent. The duties will be replaced by a sliding export tax that adjusts for low lumber prices.
The longstanding softwood dispute had soured relations between the two countries for decades, with the U.S. industry arguing that Canada unfairly subsidized its lumber producers putting them at a disadvantage, an accusation denied by the Canadians. Canada supplies about a third of the softwood lumber used in the U.S. market, mainly in housing construction and renovation.
Under terms of the agreement, the U.S. and Canada will end a large portion of the litigation over trade in softwood lumber, and unrestricted trade will occur in favorable market
conditions. When the lumber market is soft, as it is currently, Canadian exporting provinces can choose either to collect an export tax that ranges from 5 to 15 percent as prices fall, or to collect lower export taxes and limit export volumes.
The agreement requires the United States to return around $4.3 billion in antidumping and countervailing duty deposits paid by Canadian lumber producers. The United States will also distribute $450 million to advance meritorious initiatives here, including $200 million to the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities Inc. and $150 million to the American Forest Foundation to promote sustainable forests and help U.S. communities that depend on the timber industry, and $100 million to Habitat for Humanity International, which builds homes for low-income people.
“I am absolutely delighted that we have closed this long-running dispute that has for too long created friction with our largest trading partner,” said U.S. trade representative Susan Schwab in a press release. “This agreement will move us beyond the uncertainties created by intense litigation that has extended over two decades, benefit consumers by adding stability in the market, and create opportunities for the U.S. and Canadian industries to work together to resolve issues of concern.”
CNC Software Inc. has added a new multimedia section to its Web site, www.mastercam.com. The section gives customers the opportunity to explore some of the latest features in the Mastercam X family with downloadable video demonstrations, narrated overviews and documents highlighting new tools.
The newest addition to the Web page is the Machine Definition/ Control Definition Toolkit. It includes videos introducing overall concepts, vocabulary and workflow of Mastercam X’s machine and control definition; frequently asked questions, and a PDF file containing step-by-step instructions.
An “Introducing Mastercam X” video is also included, featuring demonstrations of 2D and 3D design using the software’s Sketcher tools.
Contact: CNC Software Inc., 671 Old Post Road, Tolland, CT 06084. Tel: 800-228-2877.
Macoser, Inc. • 2747 Interstate St, Charlotte, NC 28208 • ph: 704-392-0110 • fax: 704-394-0410 • www.macoser.com
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