Reply #9: Province says softwood lumber deal will stall industry

[CHIMO]

The Saskatchewan government is demanding a meeting with Ottawa to talk about the Canada-U.S. softwood lumber agreement because it says the deal will stunt the province's forestry industry.

Eldon Lautermilch, minister responsible for the forestry secretariat, said Friday the province will ask federal officials to renegotiate the deal because the current one caps provincial lumber sales to the U.S. That will stagnate the industry, he said.

Lautermilch said the deal cuts Saskatchewan's historical access to the U.S. lumber market by about 40 per cent. The provincial government has opposed the deal in a letter to the federal government. Now, he said it has requested a meeting before the deal is voted on in September.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/story/2006/07/14/...