British Columbia’s lumber industry is likely to dominate the election campaign today, following an announcement by the Trump administration that it will impose a tariff of about 20 per cent on Canadian softwood imports.
The B.C. Lumber Trade Council says the industry is a major contributor to the provincial economy, with about 145,000 direct and indirect jobs tied to forestry.
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Liberal Leader Christy Clark issued a statement late Monday saying she will fight the softwood lumber duties and work to reach a fair deal with the U.S.
FULL COVERAGE: B.C. election 2017
Clark said she will meet with her team to determine what needs to be done in order to “stand up for B.C. workers” and the forest industry.
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NDP Leader John Horgan also issued a statement on the U.S.-imposed duties, saying that Clark’s government has put thousands of jobs at risk by failing to secure a new softwood lumber agreement.
He said British Columbians deserve a premier who will fight the “unfair” tariffs with everything they’ve got.
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