Don't forget about softwood lumber sector, B.C. premier tells Mark Carney

Liberal Leader Mark Carney was in Victoria Monday, meeting with Premier David Eby to talk about strategies to protect B.C.'s softwood lumber industry. 

Eby and Carney spent 20 minutes talking at the legislature during Carney's visit to the province on week three of the federal campaign.

"We've got a lot to talk about today," Eby told Carney as he welcomed him near the front steps of the legislature. "We got some bad news on tariffs for our softwood lumber industry."

The bad news is that the U.S. plans to more than double the duty it charges on softwood lumber imports from Canada. The planned new rate will be set at 34.45 per cent, up from 14.54 per cent.

"This is another unjustified tariff. You can expect us to fight against it," said Carney, at a news conference at Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse on the Saanich peninsula. 

The forestry industry is bracing for higher duties amid the growing trade war between Canada and the U.S. It's the latest blow to the battered sector, which has seen thousands of workers laid off over the last few years.

Carney said the increased duties could hurt more than 50,000 workers, and any government response has to have workers at its centre. 

He said he would ensure more of B.C.'s softwood lumber is used to build more affordable housing units in Canada but admitted it would not be enough to offset B.C.'s trade south of the border. 

In a statement after the meeting with Carney, Eby said the two talked about the softwood lumber industry, reducing interprovincial trade barriers through a national transportation corridor for goods and services and expediting major infrastructure projects and affordable housing.

Eby said Trump's "renewed assault on our forestry sector needs the same Team Canada response as the manufacturing and auto industry jobs in Ontario and Quebec.

"The prime minister confirmed his understanding of the seriousness of the softwood issue and his commitment to work with us to address it proactively."

Forests Minister Ravi Parmar was more direct in his criticism of the federal government, saying it has been "absent" in its support for B.C.'s softwood lumber industry. 

"What I understand was raised between the premier and the prime minister today is, if this was the auto sector, there would be more on the table," Parmar told reporters after the meeting.

"We need the federal government and the prime minister to take this seriously. We need to ensure this is being given the same priority they're giving the steel industry or the auto industry."