The government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is taking a broader approach to counter the ongoing imposition of duties on Canadian softwood lumber by the United States. Trade Minister Mary Ng has announced that Canada will launch challenges under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as well as before the U.S. Court of International Trade. This follows Ottawa’s recent request for a judicial review of the Treasury Department’s assessment of the levies, which provided some relief but maintained a combined duty rate of 7.99%. Ng emphasizes that Canada is open to negotiation to resolve the long-standing and “unfair, unjust and illegal” dispute, which she argues increases housing costs. She is urging U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai to engage in negotiation.
Such a deal would be challenging since the U.S. takes issue with a long-standing regulatory system in Canada that it says puts American producers at a disadvantage.
U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Cohen echoed the sentiment of willingness to negotiate, stating that the United States is open to resolving the differences over softwood lumber to ensure a level playing field for U.S. industry. However, Cohen emphasizes that Canada must address underlying policy issues related to subsidization and fair competition. In response, Trade Minister Ng has decided to bring the latest U.S. anti-dumping duty determination before the U.S. Court of International Trade and challenge the Treasury Department’s fourth review under Chapter 10 of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement.
© 2023 The Canadian Press
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