Hearing On Canadian Imports Planned Timing Of Chenoweth’s Hearing Just Before Primary Criticized As Political

Less than two weeks before the Idaho primary, Rep. Helen Chenoweth on Saturday will host a congressional hearing in Coeur d’Alene on an issue important to North Idaho voters - Canadian lumber and agricultural imports.

Chenoweth’s chief Democratic challenger for her 1st District seat calls the hearing a political move to generate support from mill workers and farmers who feel betrayed by federal agreements that opened the borders between the two nations.

But the first-term Republican said Thursday that the timing is mere coincidence.

Chenoweth said she asked the House Agriculture Committee to hold the hearing a year ago, but it was delayed until Congress could pass a mammoth new farm bill. The bill was adopted in March.

“We have an unequal trading relationship with Canada,” Chenoweth said. “The (Washington, D.C.) Beltway needs to hear from people in the field about how it’s really hurting jobs and people.”

Chenoweth said the findings from Saturday’s hearing could be used to put pressure on the White House to strengthen a new lumber accord with Canada, or to create legislation to force Canada to drop alleged unfair trading practices.

The Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities will open its hearing on U.S-Canadian trade at 9 a.m. Saturday at North Idaho College’s Boswell Hall. The hearing is open to the public.

Thirteen witnesses are scheduled to testify before the committee, including representatives from the barley growers, wheat growers, potato growers, timber workers, cattlemen, dairymen, Farm Bureau, lumber mills and business.

While farmers and mill workers continue to have concerns about competing against inexpensive Canadian lumber, wheat, barley, and beef, some believe the worst of the crisis has passed.

A U.S. quota on Canadian grain imports was lifted last September with little consequence. Furthermore, a fiveyear agreement was reached last month between the two nations to cap the import of Canadian finished lumber at 6 percent below record levels of the past two years. However, the White House has yet to sign the deal.

“There’s no big trade issues facing us right now,” said Daryl Kraft, professor of agriculture at the University of Manitoba. “Exports of some commodities to the U.S. have dropped substantially.”

The apparent resolution of those issues has raised questions by the campaign of Dan Williams, Chenoweth’s chief Democratic rival, about the need for the hearing.

“Agricultural trade has been a problem in the past, but there’s not much going on right now,” said Ted Sullivan, press secretary to Williams, a Boise attorney. “They’ve got every right to hold a hearing, but the timing of it is certainly advantageous” to Chenoweth’s campaign.

The primary election is May 28.

However, many agricultural and timber workers believe that’s sour grapes. They say the balance of trade still favors the north.

Dairy, poultry, sugar and potato producers charge that Canada uses tariffs and peculiar packaging and labeling requirements to restrict U.S. imports. And timber workers say the Provinces are supplying Canadian mills with logs at one-third the cost that U.S. mills pay.

“It makes it difficult to compete,” said Pat Malloy, president of operations at Idaho Veneer Lumber Co. of Post Falls, who will testify at the hearing. “We can’t do it. We just flat can’t do it.”

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