Jim,
"You just never know when those Canadians might unilaterally put on an export tax on gas, create a foreign pipeline tax, or threaten to cut off the flow of gas as a counter measure to American economic warfare currently being waged on the lumber front."
That phrase, "as a counter measure to American economic warfare currently being waged" really bugs me.
You are implying that the recent success of a group of American lobbyists represents American policy towards Canada. I say that is not the case: not yet. The continuation of these practices would substantiate your implication, but it is just as likely that, in the long view, the US will decide that this is, on balance, the wrong way to do things.
I am not making any implications. Canada has defeated the US on the softwood lumber issue three times now, according to World Trade decisions that the US agreed to abide by-is that not continuation of these practices? Once is happen stance, twice is coincidence, thrice is enemy action. As I stated earlier, the US apparently only believes in the rule of law when it is in their favor. When decisions go against them, they resort to bully tactics using tariffs or worse. That is beyond pork barrel or effective lobbying by special interest groups in Washington. It is clearly a deliberate act of aggression on the trade front against a so called neighbour. With friends like the US, who needs enemies? |
