Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06QUEBEC16
2006-02-02 15:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Quebec
Cable title:  

SOFTWOOD LUMBER: QUEBEC INDUSTRY LOOKING TO NEGOTIATE

Tags:  ECON PGOV CA 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L QUEBEC 000016 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/2/2016
TAGS: ECON PGOV CA
SUBJECT: SOFTWOOD LUMBER: QUEBEC INDUSTRY LOOKING TO NEGOTIATE

CLASSIFIED BY: Abigail Friedman, Consul General, Quebec City,
State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)



C O N F I D E N T I A L QUEBEC 000016

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/2/2016
TAGS: ECON PGOV CA
SUBJECT: SOFTWOOD LUMBER: QUEBEC INDUSTRY LOOKING TO NEGOTIATE

CLASSIFIED BY: Abigail Friedman, Consul General, Quebec City,
State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




1. (c) Summary: Quebec Forest Industry Council President Guy
Chevrette told CG Feb. 1 that Quebec industry is ready to
negotiate a solution to the softwood lumber dispute, and has
been so for quite some time. They have been held back, in his
view, by British Columbia's lumber industry and by former PM
Martin's "purely political" interest in not negotiating.
Chevrette believes the new Harper government will be willing to
enter into negotiations with the U.S. side, but that the
minority government may not be in a position to take the first
step. A public statement from the U.S. reiterating our desire
to negotiate a solution and a willingness to entertain
"asymmetric solutions if needed" (i.e., different solutions for
different provinces) may help break the impasse, says Chevrette.
End summary.


2. (c) CG sounded out Guy Chevrette, President of the Quebec
Council on Forestry, Feb. 1, on the prognosis for a return to
the negotiating table on softwood lumber. Chevrette said that
the Quebec softwood lumber industry is small compared to British
Columbia's and that the money that is now in escrow is sorely
needed in Quebec to allow for investment in equipment. (Of the
roughly 5 billion dollars now frozen, Chevrette estimated that
about 1.2 billion is derived from Quebec industry.) He
indicated that Quebec's lumber industry is more than ready to
negotiate and that Quebec would accept a limit on volume. A
return to the 2004 volume would be acceptable for Quebec
industry, he said.


3. (c) Chevrette considers British Columbia's lumber industry to
be the obstacle to a return to negotiations. Quebec and Ontario
have similar softwood lumber profiles, both in terms of the
financial stakes, and in what would constitute an acceptable
agreement. Both would favor some form of restriction on the
volume of exports, he said. BC industry, on the other hand, has
a market strategy that is based purely on pushing volume trade.
(A chart comparing BC and Quebec exports of softwood lumber to
the U.S., shows Quebec exports at only about one third of BC's.
While Quebec exports are declining, BC's has soared since 2000.)


4. (c) Given the difference between the volume-based approach of
BC and the approaches of Ontario and Quebec, Chevrette proposes
an "asymmetric" solution to the softwood lumber dispute. Quebec
is willing to accept a limitation on volume, but this would be
unacceptable to B.C. Inversely, B.C. would accept a tax, but
this would kill Quebec's industry. Chevrette mused that a
"volume" solution might work if it were province by province.


5. (c) Chevrette expressed optimism that the timing is
propitious for a reopening of negotiations. In his view, even
the B.C. government is ready to return to the negotiating table.
As for the Harper government, Chevrette believed that the
Conservatives want a renewed dialogue with the U.S. in general,
and a solution to the softwood lumber dispute in particular.
This cocktail of interests suggests to him a rather quick
reentry into negotiations. PM Martin, he felt, put the brakes
on negotiations for purely political motives, i.e., to boost
anti-Americanism and popular support for his government. The
challenge for the Conservatives is that there is no consensus on
a softwood lumber negotiating strategy within Canada and that
they are leading a minority government. Chevrette continued by
saying that this simply means that the new government might have
difficulty making the opening move. Chevrette considers the
recent U.S. reduction of tariff rates as a signal that the U.S.
is ready to negotiate. Chevrette believes that if the U.S. and
Canadian governments announce a restart of negotiations, this
will pressure B.C. industry to the table. The next step is for
the U.S. to announce that it can accept an "asymmetric Canadian
position, if needed." Chevrette believes this would force the
disparate Canadian elements to work seriously toward a
negotiated solution.

FRIEDMAN