diplomacy

Wednesday December 7, 2005

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday December 7, 2005

U.S. to cut softwood duties almost in half

Canadian officials are cheering a move by the U.S. Commerce Department to chop softwood lumber duties by almost 50 per cent.The Commerce Department set the new rates on Tuesday, settling on average payments of 10.81 per cent.

That figure is a considerable drop from the current average payment of 20.15 per cent.

“This is a very positive step forward as Canada fights to have the illegal duties reduced to zero,” John Allan, president of the B.C. Lumber Trade Council, told the Canadian Press.

The softwood dispute has been the main trade irritant between Canada and the U.S.

The U.S. believes Canada improperly subsidizes softwood production because most U.S. timber is harvested from private land at market prices, while in Canada the wood is mostly cut on Crown land.

The U.S. government has collected about $5 billion in duties on Canadian softwood exports to the U.S. since the tariffs were introduced in May 2002. (Source: CBC) 

 

August 9, 2005

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð August 9, 2005 Hamilton Hogtown The public relations campaign launched by Maple Leaf Foods over the last few weeks seems particularly intense especially since the giant processing company hasn't signed a deal with Hamilton to relocate its controversial Burlington facility. Hamilton is the preferred location for the $250 million facility.The offer by Maple Leaf Foods to politicians and media to tour its state-of-the-art processing facility in Brandon, Manitoba, and the whirlwind editorial interviews with area media is to counter negative opinions that have grown within the community that Maple Leaf Foods isn't the proper fit for what is an agricultural area. (Ancaster News) MeanwhileÉ Former federal revenue minister Stan Keyes has joined Canada's diplomatic corps. He was appointed consul general to Boston last week. He represented the riding of Hamilton-West in Parliament from 1988 until his defeat in the 2004 election. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) Canada, Hamilton, patronage, diplomacy, consul, Stan Keyes, Maple Leaf, pork processing, cured meats

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – August 9, 2005

Hamilton Hogtown

The public relations campaign launched by Maple Leaf Foods over the last few weeks seems particularly intense especially since the giant processing company hasn’t signed a deal with Hamilton to relocate its controversial Burlington facility. Hamilton is the preferred location for the $250 million facility.The offer by Maple Leaf Foods to politicians and media to tour its state-of-the-art processing facility in Brandon, Manitoba, and the whirlwind editorial interviews with area media is to counter negative opinions that have grown within the community that Maple Leaf Foods isn’t the proper fit for what is an agricultural area. (Ancaster News)

June 22, 2004

Meanwhile…

Former federal revenue minister Stan Keyes has joined Canada’s diplomatic corps. He was appointed consul general to Boston last week.

He represented the riding of Hamilton-West in Parliament from 1988 until his defeat in the 2004 election. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

 

Wednesday March 23, 2005

March 23, 2005

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday March 23, 2005

Paul Martin at the Bush Ranch Hoedown

Paul Martin, who came to power with big ideas on foreign policy, appears to be lowering his sights as he prepares for a summit with the presidents of the United States and Mexico. The meeting in Texas among the prime minister, George W. Bush and Vicente Fox will be heavy on trade policy, border security and a host of so-called quality of life issues such as environmental protection.

But Canadian officials say there won’t be any “big bang” announcements on any of those fronts.

Nor do they expect any talk of missile defence — the issue that did more than anything to sour Martin’s relationship with the Bush administration in Washington.

That’s just as well, said Charles Doran, a specialist in Canada-U.S. relations at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

In his view, the best Martin can hope for is to put the missile dispute behind him and try to make modest progress in other areas.

His greatest challenge may be building ties of personal trust with his fellow leaders.

“Whether we like it or not, personalities do count,” Doran said in an interview yesterday. “These meetings are worth every bit of time that is invested in preparing for them.” (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

 

Thursday May 16, 2002

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday May 16, 2002

Bush Plans to Tighten Sanctions on Cuba, Not Ease Them

While Jimmy Carter called for easing sanctions against Cuba, President Bush said today that he would hew to a tough line when he speaks Monday on his policy toward Cuba.

Officials said that Mr. Bush would speak at a fund-raiser in Miami and possibly to the Organization of American States in Washington, and that he would announce measures to strengthen the economic pressure and political isolation of President Fidel Castro’s government.

The measures include stepping up enforcement of travel restrictions, promoting aid to dissidents and strengthening American government broadcasts of news and opinion, according to an official who follows the policy.

The United States also plans to ask European and Latin American nations, particularly Mexico and Spain, to help build support for Cuban critics of the government.

Administration officials denied that Mr. Bush’s announcements had been timed to embarrass the former president, Mr. Carter, who would just be ending his five-day trip to Cuba. But officials did acknowledge concern that Mr. Carter’s trip might provide momentum for calls to ease American policy toward the Castro government.

In Miami, Mr. Bush is to address a fund-raiser for the re-election campaign of his brother, Gov. Jeb Bush. South Florida is a bastion of Cuban exiles who oppose any softening toward Havana, and President Bush’s remarks are likely to be warmly received.

The president is a strong supporter of the four-decade-old American trade embargo against Cuba. His stance has won him the devotion of a large swath of the Cuban-American community, without which he probably would not have won the state of Florida, and the presidency, in 2000.

President Bush, in remarks to the news media today during a visit of the prime minister of Malaysia, said his message on Cuba was not affected by Mr. Carter’s visit.

He foreshadowed the tough line he is expected to take on Monday, Cuba’s independence day, saying, ”My message to the Cuban people is: Demand freedom, and you’ve got a president who stands with you.”

While the president is preparing to increase the pressure against Cuba, his administration is caught in a debate over public allegations that Mr. Castro’s government is developing biological weapons. (Continued: The New York Times) 

 

Wednesday June 7, 2000

June 7, 2000

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday June 7, 2000

Lame duck Clinton is a poor pitchman; World security: Anti-missile scheme dubious at best

The politician versus the statesman. That’s our take on the Moscow talks between American president Bill Clinton and Russian president Vladimir Putin concerning nuclear arms. The Russian leader has a stronger claim to the high road on arms control with his opposition to Clinton’s support for a dubious, expensive and potentially destabilizing U.S. anti-missile defence system.

Putin will have made a significant contribution to preventing a new arms race if his skepticism convinces the U.S. to take a sober second look at the scheme. Politics, more than prudent planning, appears to explain Clinton’s arguments in favour of a proposal to base 100 interceptor missiles in Alaska to destroy a limited number of missiles from so-called rogue states such as North Korea, Iraq, Iran and Libya. This multi-billion-dollar scheme will be a windfall for defence contractors who find it harder to win contracts with the end of the Cold War. For his part, Clinton is afraid of running the risk of the Democratic party being perceived as soft on defence in a presidential election year. George W. Bush, presumed Republican presidential nominee, has endorsed an even more ambitious anti-missile system.

It is virtually certain that nuclear arms control will be dealt a major and perhaps terminal blow if the U.S. plan goes ahead. Anti-missile shields of the type proposed are banned under the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. Russia, China and other aspiring nuclear powers such as India and Pakistan will be sorely tempted to increase their arsenals to match what will be perceived as a move by Washington to upset the balance of power. Americans may feel more protected if a shield, even a small one, can be built at high cost to thwart an atomic attack by a terrorist regime, but at what price? It will be a false security if it results in an accelerated nuclear race.

This is not to dismiss the hypothetical menace that long-range missiles would pose in the hands of North Korea, for instance. However, the threat is better addressed through a collective international approach rather than by the U.S. going it alone in a way that smacks of American isolationism. The challenges of coping with terrorism in today’s high-tech era go well beyond missiles, and encompass everything from biological weapons to the spread of public health threats like AIDS. More effective, state-of-the-art defences, perhaps including a role for a reliable system of defensive missiles if it can be developed — that’s a big if — might eventually be required. In any case, the financial, technical and political obstacles are steep. It makes more sense for the U.S. to engage the international community in countering the threat than to act unilaterally.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair is in good position to bridge the gap between Moscow and Washington. Now is the time for Blair to support Putin and urge the U.S. to realize that its anti-missile plan will start an arms race that could undermine world security. (Source: Hamilton Spectator Editorial) 

 

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