Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin gave President Bush a harsh warning the US ignoring NAFTA rulings on Canadian softwood lumber imports.

Mr. Martin issued the caution yesterday in a meeting with Mr. Bush, Mexican President Vicente Fox and Peru’s Alejandro Toledo Manrique just as the four men were set to join other leaders in trade talks at the meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders, also known as APEC.

“You cannot have free trade where one partner to a free-trade agreement — when a decision goes against them — simply says we’re going to ignore it,” Mr. Martin told reporters after the meeting.

“We’re not going to have free trade of the Americas if that’s the precedent that’s been established. We’re not going to have free-trade throughout the Asia-Pacific if that’s what occurs.”

He proceeded to kick his ass — in French. Quelle joie!