Lesson Plan: Who Wins in the Softwood Lumber Dispute?

Lesson Plan

Before Exploring

Ask: When you've had a dispute with someone, such as a sibling or a bully, did anyone win the dispute? Who benefited from the dispute? Do disputes usually end up with a clear winner and loser? Why or why not?

Remind students of the 2002 conflict in Afghanistan. The people of Afghanistan were meant to benefit, but who else may have benefited? Taliban forces were to be removed from power, but who else may have been hurt by the conflict? Discuss with students how outside industries can benefit (news, munitions, transport, and communications industries) and unrelated infrastructure can be harmed (the environment, civilian life and property, the local economy, and so on).

Explain to students that, as with all disputes, there are two sides to a story. In this activity, they will identify who benefits from the softwood lumber dispute.

Outline the Opportunity

Direct students to the topic At Loggerheads: The Canada-U.S. Softwood Lumber Dispute on the CBC Digital Archives website. Students will browse the topic and thoroughly review the clip "The lumber industry's 'cozy game'"  to look for references suggesting which groups, in Canada and the United States, benefit from Canada's policy on the trade of softwood lumber. Students can organize their information on the download sheet Who Wins in the Dispute.

Students should write a brief summary indicating which groups benefit and why.

Revisit and Reflect

Have students share their summaries of the groups who benefit from Canada's policy on the trade of softwood lumber. Ask:

   What are the main groups that benefit?

   Which groups benefit incidentally?

   How do you think these groups would react to a resolution

   to the dispute?

   Why might these groups want the dispute to continue?

Extension

Students can write a position statement outlining the benefits to Canada of Canada's current policy on the trade of softwood lumber. 

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