Trump takes first swing in lumber war: tariff of 20 per cent on Canadian lumber
The United States has fired the opening shot in a latest softwood-lumber war against Canada, with the Trump administration announcing its first batch of duties on imported wood in the neighbourhood of 20 per cent.
The move was expected: the historic dispute over lumber pricing has led to once-a-decade trade skirmishes between the neighbours, resulting in American duties, then inevitable court battles, and ultimately negotiated settlements.
What wasn’t expected Monday was the enthusiasm with which the new American administration flung itself into the lumber hostilities, touting its incoming countervailing duties as an example of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tough, America-first trade posture.
Trump underscored the impending move by announcing it to a gathering of conservative media; Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross also highlighted it in interviews; and both of them linked the issue to broader trade complaints.