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.
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.
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.