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.
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**