Canada Shies Away From Lumber Pact as Obama and Trudeau Meet
- Trade minister hints government may let tariff freeze expire
- `Fiendishly complicated' softwood dispute dates back to 1980s
Justin Trudeau, Canada's prime minister, speaks during an interview in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on March 2, 2016.
Photographer: Ben Nelms/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The Canadian government is signaling it could test the waters of quota-free softwood lumber trade with the U.S., a move expected to reignite a dispute that simmered for decades.
Canada’s trade minister wouldn’t commit to reaching a deal before the U.S. is allowed to again place tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber. The previous softwood agreement, which included quotas and was struck in 2006, expired in October and a one-year tariff freeze expires this year.