U.S. trade concerns send trade minister back to Washington as MPs debate solutions
Global News
Mary Ng met virtually Tuesday with her U.S. counterpart to discuss several trade disputes, including Canada's "significant concern" with a proposed electric vehicle tax credit.
Canada’s trade minister has headed back to the U.S. capital for discussions on festering trade irritants, just two weeks after joining Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on his visit to the White House.
Mary Ng met virtually Tuesday with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai to talk about a number of trade disputes, including Canada’s “significant concern” with a proposed tax credit for electric vehicles.
In a readout of their meeting, Ng’s office described the proposal as running counter to the terms of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA.
Ng also took issue with the U.S. making good last week on its plan to nearly double its duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports.
She said the decision will hurt Canadian communities, workers and businesses, while only adding to the inflationary pain U.S. consumers are already feeling.
Ng is in Washington until Friday for a number of in-person meetings and has a contingent of opposition MPs in tow, including Conservative trade critic Randy Hoback.
In a take-note debate on the softwood lumber duties Wednesday evening in the House of Commons, Liberals MPs appealed for a Team Canada approach to the long-running dispute.
“It is important that we speak as one voice and that we do not capitulate, that we recognize that it’s a stronger voice if we unite and say that what’s happening is not right,” said Winnipeg MP Kevin Lamoureux, who led off debate for the government side.