The U.S. Commerce Department has decided to hike anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood to 20.56 per cent, with B.C. lumber organizations calling them unjustified, punitive and protectionist.
The hiked softwood lumber duties come amid the growing trade war between Canada and the U.S., and represent the latest blow to B.C.'s beleaguered forestry industry.
B.C. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar described the long-awaited rate hike as a “gut punch” for B.C.'s forestry industry which has seen thousands of workers laid off over the last few years.
For folks who are lamenting that the Canada/US relationship has cratered because Trump was reelected, this is something that’s been an ongoing problem since 1982. Canada has been on the “abused” side of this relationship for a long time, it’s just sighed and endured it until now.
just in time to make logging in national parks great again
Nah, the long standing intent is to bankrupt all BC logging companies.
They want unfettered access to BC’s forests. Sadly, conservatives up here have almost given them that.
We need a 200% export tax on raw materials leaving Canada.
They want BC and all of Canada’s territory and Arctic trade routes.
Yeah, but particular to the softwood lumber thing is that for 20 years they’ve been working to get unlimited access to our forests. It really kicked off when Harper completely capitulated to Dubya basically as soon as he got into office. Its been a constant fight since then.
It kicked into high gear with Trump 2.0
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Add remodel or fix up a home to that last quote. I specialize in restoring and preserving old buildings, in the US that’s usually 100+years. Most of our cost is labor but the main material we use is eastern white pine, AKA soft wood, and you can probably guess where that comes from.
It’s forcing Canada to diversify away from the US, which has for decades kept Canada in good sold to US markets below global market value, now with new trading partners Canadian Industry stands to benefit for global market rates and diversified markets.
It’s been long overdue for Canada, and will hurt the US in the long term as it loses prefered customer status.
No, the softwood duties, thanks to Harper capitulating and Trudeau not giving a shit about BC, have resulted in raw logs being shipped to the US and utterly devastating small town BC.
Edit: which is how small town BC went from mixed NDP/CPC to matching Alberta’s idiocy.
Albertas rural communities**
Fuck ‘em. Elbows up brothers.
Fun.
