OTTAWA – Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Jim Carr, and his provincial counterparts met Nov. 10 to discuss the final determinations by the U.S. Department of Commerce in the countervailing and anti-dumping duty investigations into imports of certain softwood lumber products from Canada.
Minister Carr and the other members of the Federal–Provincial Task Force on Softwood Lumber denounced the unfair and punitive duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports that threaten the livelihoods of workers and communities that depend on the forest industry across our country.
The ministers and the Task Force discussed the economic impacts of the dispute and the rollout of the Softwood Lumber Action Plan, which made available $867 million to diversify Canada’s forest products and international markets and support affected workers and communities.
The ministers and the Task Force reaffirmed their commitment to forest workers and communities that rely on softwood lumber and reiterated the importance of coordinating and consulting with forest sector stakeholders and engaging with Indigenous communities and companies affected by the dispute.
The Government of Canada maintains the view that a negotiated agreement that brings stability to the softwood lumber industry is in the best interest of both countries. The Government will also continue to engage our American counterparts to encourage them to come to a durable, negotiated agreement on softwood lumber.