American Protectionist Policy

[cowman]

Here is a solution to the problem of the U.S. putting tariffs on our agricultural products. First of all you put a great big wheel valve on the Alliance pipeline as well as the other pipelines going into the U.S. Now when they slap a duty on say durum, we turn the valve a bit thus cutting back the amount of gas going through it. If they persist in listening to idiots like R-Calf and put duties or bring trade actions against our beef then we cut her back a little more! And if they don't get it then we shut her off. Preferably in January! That might get their attention real quick! We couldn't let the federal government have control of the valve because they would insist the U.S. government buy planes and snowmobiles from Bombardier and that isn't the purpose here!!!
The message would be very simple: If you want our oil and gas you have to take our grain, cattle and hogs!

[bombay_43]

raratz: The only problem I have with your point of view, is that the "National ID program" is suppose to be used to track reportable disease in our country!

The misconception that you, and select other cattlemen have, is that this program will somehow inhance our sales. You are obviously under the impression that these tags will alllow buyers to track the cattle back to the "Good" producers. Thereby increasing demand for your product.

I am under the assumption, that these tags are to "promote beef consumption, through assurance of efficient traceback and containment of serious animal health and food safety problems."
(taken right off the CCIA information pamphlet)

So...if you are hoping to have someone use these ID tags to trace it back to your herd... you better have something seriously wrong, not something really really good to show them! That is not what they are designed for!

[nakodo]

I am not sure about the ratio of Cdn gas to other imported gas in the us but suspect the results of slowing down the flow upon our oil companies would have a similar result as a policy that was made called the NEP.

Using oil as a Political tool did not go over well in Ab and nearly killed growth in the oil patch for a number of years, using one sector as a lever to get action for another, is that what we really want?

If the US we cut off softwood lumber from Canada to get even with our government's subsidies, how would we be different, tit for tat?

A population of 30 million beef eaters versus 250 million in the US means 60 % of our production of beef goes to the US to make up 5 % of their consumption, not quite the same impact.....

[cowman]

Actually Canadian gas is just about the only imported gas in the U.S. Mexico might have a small share but most of their production is heavy crude. The U.S. gets approx. 11% of their imported crude from Alta. The only way NG can be economically imported is through a pipeline.
Controlling the flow would be a short term thing used as political pressure. Yes just like the U.S. is doing in the softwood lumber dispute. The NEP was a deliberate theft of Albertas resources to allow cheap gas for the industrial heartland. It was also used to break the growing economic clout of Alberta.It took gas away from our natural trading partner...the U.S. and sent it east at an artificially low price. None of us here in Alberta should ever forget that black day. We all got ****d!!
Now I'm not really up on the soft wood lumber deal but I think the kick is all about stumpage fees. The U.S. figures Canada should charge whatever they do. Now if that happens Canadian firms cannot compete...the freight would kill them. But why is it that the U.S. can dictate to us how much we charge for stumpage? There isn't really a subsidy at all, just a price that is reasonable for Canadian trees. If the stumpage fee goes up the tree won't come down... and that is just what the Americans really want! And all the tree huggers will be happy!