The vote, the first phase in the parliamentary approval process, saw the minority Conservative government supported by the Bloc Quebecois. The NDP and most Liberals voted against the deal.

The government claims the agreement with bring stability to the softwood lumber industry, whose exports to America have suffered from US countervailing and anti-dumping duties for the past few years.

Opposition parties the NDP and Liberals claim the industry has been forced to accept the deal, effectively handing victory to the US in the long-running dispute.