Ottawa – Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, issued the following statement regarding the final results from the fourth administrative reviews by the U.S. Department of Commerce of its anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders on certain softwood lumber products from Canada:
“Canada is very disappointed that the United States continues to impose unwarranted and unfair duties on Canadian softwood lumber. The only fair outcome would be for the United States to cease applying these baseless duties. Canada will continue to vigorously defend its softwood lumber industry and the entrepreneurs, workers and communities it supports.
“Duties on Canadian softwood lumber unjustifiably harm Canadian businesses and communities. They also amount to a punitive tax on U.S. businesses that need Canadian lumber, which hampers their ability to grow and to create U.S. jobs.
“Moreover, these unwarranted duties are detrimental to our highly integrated supply chains and economies. Rather than protecting U.S. jobs and businesses, the duties have instead led to a spike in imports from offshore suppliers to fill the gap in demand.
“An immediate negotiated solution to this long-standing trade issue is in the best interests of both our countries. Canada is disappointed that the United States is not meaningfully engaging in discussions on a return to predictable cross-border trade in softwood lumber. At every opportunity, I continue to reiterate this message to my US counterparts, US administration officials and Congressional representatives on both sides of the aisle.
“Canada will always stand up for our softwood lumber industry, including through litigation under NAFTA Chapter 19, Chapter 10 of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, in US courts and before the WTO. In the past, neutral third-party tribunals have repeatedly found US claims to be without merit, and we firmly believe this will be the case again.”