I found this Backgrounder for Parliamentarians written in 2004. I am sure the essence of today's dispute was as before. Lumber companies bid for tracts of land to harvest and an auction thereby establishing the 'market price' to be paid to the private landowner. In Canada, Atlantic Canada excluded, the Crown owns the land and sets the 'stumpage fee' that a company must pay in order to harvest. The U.S. feels stumpage rates are below the 'market price' used in the U.S. thereby conferring an unfair advantage to Canadian companies.

I'll just throw an idea out here. Why can't Canadian stumpage fees track the U.S. 'market price' the way that ETF's or mutual funds track a market index? I suppose Provincial Governments need revenue certainty, but surely there must be a way. Otherwise we continue on as we have with no resolution in sight.

http://www.lop.parl.gc.ca/content/lop/ResearchPublications/tips/tip98-e.htm