Softwood Corruption?

My morning blog travels turned up a real doozie that's emerging about the softwood lumber "deal" that was so miraculously negotiated.

Via Cathie From Canada, we learn that testimony given to Canada's Standing Committee on International Trade suggests that a "gift" of some $450 million dollars is to be handed over to the White House as part of the agreement.

I'd been wondering where that other $1 billion dollars was going - it appears that it's going to land in White House coffers where the Senate and House of Representatives won't be able to touch it. In terms of the US Federal Budget, $450 million is chicken feed - but in terms of Canada, it's not. We are essentially handing BushCo nearly half a billion dollars in an election year, in funds that can be used for whatever the White House deems fit - including, no doubt, bankrolling whatever they think they need to do to maintain the Rethuglican majority in the two houses.

We punted the Liberals out for misspending a mere $200 million in Canada. It appears that Harper's lot is about to waste nearly double that, and is doing so in his efforts to cuddle up with the Rethuglican cactus down there.

Mr. Harper, Canada is NOT the United States Republican party's whore, and Canadians should be outraged that you are making such deals.