Canada formally initiates challenge of ‘unfair’ U.S. duties on lumber

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OTTAWA — Worldwide Commerce Minister Mary Ng says Canada is formally initiating a problem of “unwarranted and unfair” U.S. duties on Canadian softwood lumber.
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The Canadian authorities filed discover of the problem in the present day below the U.S.-Mexico-Canada commerce settlement’s dispute decision system.
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Ng says in an announcement that the duties hurt Canadian companies and staff but additionally function a tax on U.S. shoppers already coping with inflation and supply-chain points.
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The U.S. lower its anti-dumping and countervailing obligation charge in half earlier this month to eight.59 per cent from 17.61 per cent, however Ng signalled that Canada would nonetheless struggle the measures.
The crux of the U.S. argument is that the stumpage charges provinces cost for timber harvested from Crown land are akin to subsidies, since U.S. producers should as a substitute pay market charges.
Ng says that Canada is keen to work in the direction of a negotiated answer within the long-running dispute.