BadDealVille
Earlier today we reported on a previous report that, reportedly, British Columbia's Minister in charge of The Lumberman's bad deal that doesn't actually exist was previously behind the thing, at least as his words were previously reported in the past.
Now though it looks like Rich Coleman is having second thoughts about whether, indeed, a Softwood Lumber deal does actually exist.
Here's the lead from a report by Gordon Hamilton and Peter O'Neill in today's Vancouver Sun*.
The United States must give if there is going to be a softwood lumber agreement, B.C. Forests Minister Rich Coleman said Monday (June 12th, 2006).
Coleman acknowledged that a weekend deadline to reach a deal had passed, with the U.S. still insisting that this province's market-based timber pricing system be subject to anti-circumvention language in the softwood agreement.
Negotiations are taking place in Washington.
"That's our deal-breaker. We are saying market-based pricing has to be recognized. Period. End of story," Coleman said in an interview.
Hmmmmm.....
Has Mr. Coleman suddenly decided to gather up all the gumption he can muster on this issue and call a spade a spade?
Or, is he just lowering expectations so that he too can claim victory when the capitulation with The Lumberman's self-imposed negotiating position-killing deadline comes to pass?
Who knows.
Either way, however, Mr. Coleman can't lose.
Because he and fellow British Columbia cabinet member Mike de Jong, who, apparently is no longer the minister in charge of Teacher Union capitulation, have already helped to make sure that Weyerhaeuser will get theirs, regardless.
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*The entire thing is worth a read. I must say Mr. Hamilton has not been one of the press poodles on this story. He has been digging and getting people on the record, one way or the other, rather than just acting as a stenographer for government and industry honchos.
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