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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">April 29, 2005 <i>(3:30 p.m. EDT)</i><br>
No. 75</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">CANADA TAKES ACTION ON BYRD AMENDMENT</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">International Trade Minister Jim Peterson today issued the following statement on
behalf of the Government of Canada concerning the U.S. Byrd Amendment:</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Today the Government of Canada, in collaboration with several Canadian domestic
stakeholders, launched a challenge against the Byrd Amendment in the U.S. Court of
International Trade. </span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“We believe that the application of the Byrd Amendment to Canada is inconsistent with
the specific provisions of U.S. law implementing NAFTA. If successful, the challenge
should end the Byrd disbursements to U.S. industries of duties applied on Canadian
goods. </span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Also on May 1, the Government of Canada will begin imposing a 15 percent surtax on
live swine, cigarettes, oysters and certain specialty fish from the United States.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“As I said on March 31, retaliation is not our preferred option, but it is a necessary
action given the United States’ failure to comply with the World Trade Organization
ruling on the Byrd Amendment. This action sends a clear message to the United States
that Canada will defend its trade interests and of the importance of upholding the
integrity of the international trade regime.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“The Government of Canada and other U.S. trading partners continue to urge the
United States to repeal the Byrd Amendment. The European Union will also start
implementing retaliation on May 1, 2005.”</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The Byrd Amendment allows U.S. producers to receive anti-dumping and countervailing
duties from foreign competitors. Further information on the Byrd Amendment and
Canada’s retaliation can be found on the International Trade Canada Web site at
</span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221014023/http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/tna-nac/disp/byrd-main-en.asp"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/tna-nac/disp/byrd-main-en.asp</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000"> </span></span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">- 30 -</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">For further information, media representatives may contact:</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Jacqueline LaRocque<br>
Director of Communications<br>
Office of the Minister of International Trade<br>
(613) 992-7332</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Media Relations Office<br>
International Trade Canada<br>
(613) 995-1874<br>
</span></span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221014023/http://www.international.gc.ca/"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">http://www.international.gc.ca</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000"></span></span></span></p>
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