Silly me, I thought what producers wanted was totally free and unfettered access to US markets, without any duties or taxes applied by either country as was their right under NAFTA. Instead, according to Harris, they wanted quotas and export taxes under special legislation limiting what they can do, apparently with a desire to be driven out of business. Strange businessmen!

Ammonra. Dont cry for the Multi-National, Multi Millionaire Lumber Companys. At the end of the day this agreement will allow them to downsize, get rid of small operators, and in the end allow them to continue to make huge profits. The day that Canfor and comanys of its ilk, needs us to worry about their business is the day the world will come to an end.

I know, I was being sarcastic again - against Harris.

"Dont cry for the Multi-National, Multi Millionaire Lumber Companys"

Sarcastic or not, we should be crying for the lost paychecks provided to the employees laid off during longer shut down times or complete mill shut downs, plus the communities and those in the communities who are dependent in part on those paychecks being spent in the communities.

Last time I checked, I think that is everyone North of 100 Mile.

My point is that with or without this softwood agreement, Multinational Corporations will always downsize and get rid of jobs when it serves their purpose. Dont beleive for one minute that they have the interests of their employees as their number on priority.

It was the Canadian Lumber Companys that flooded the US Market for the last year or so with cheap lumber,knowing full well that they would get a huge rebate once this settlement was reached. Now that the settlement is reached and the rebate has disapeared, and replaced by a non refundable 15% tax to the Government once lumber reaches a certain price, they are now looking at Mill Closures, downsizing, and reducing shifts. This didnt happen overnight and anyone who thought the double and triple shifts would last forever are living in a dream world.