An influential US consumer group has urged the Canadian government to hold its course in the softwood lumber dispute with America.
Members of American Consumers for Affordable Homes, which includes Home Depot, visited Ottawa to encourage the Canadian federal government to remain firm, saying the country has all but won the dispute. The group believes the US duties on Canadian lumber imports are hurting US consumers by pushing up the price of new homes.
Their visit follows a third overturning of an International Trade Commission (ITC) decision by a North America Free Trade Association panel.
The panel said the ITC was wrong in its decision that Canadian forest practices were unfair and hurt US lumber companies. The ITC rescinded its ruling during September.
However, Canada’s international trade minister Jim Peterson said the country would maintain a twin track approach in the dispute, keeping negotiations going with his American counterparts, as well as litigation. He said Canada was open to a negotiated settlement, warning that litigation could be a lengthy and costly process.
