Premier Pleased with Softwood Meeting

Premier John Hamm is pleased with today's Maritime Lumber Bureau meeting on softwood lumber with United States special envoy Marc Racicot.

"Atlantic Canada's lumber producers are free and fair traders and have been long recognized as such by the United States," said the premier. "I am confident that Mr. Racicot received our message of continuing free market access to the United States."

Premier Hamm was joined at the meeting by Canadian Ambassador Michael Kergin, New Brunswick Premier Brenard Lord, Prince Edward Island Premier Pat Binns and a senior official from Newfoundland and Labrador. Diana Blenkorn, president of the Maritime Lumber Bureau, led a team of industry representatives.

"This was government-industry co-operation at its best," added the premier. "Together, we have put forward a strong case on behalf of our lumber industry for a long-term solution based on our free trade practices."

Forestry is a $1.4 billion industry in Nova Scotia, employing more than 20,000 people in the province.