Premier Clark applauds push for softwood lumber deal

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Premier Christy Clark says word that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Barack Obama want to quickly settle a long-standing trade issue over softwood lumber exports is ‘fantastic.’

Trudeau and Obama said in a joint statement following talks in Washington at the end of last week they want a new dealt within 100 days, but they both artfully dodged calling the current trade dispute a ‘dispute,’ opting instead to label it an irritant, likely bringing back for some thoughts of the U.S. President’s now infamous reference to the ISIS Terrorist Group as “the JV team.

It’s worth noting again the original agreement was signed in 2006, after a lengthy and bitter dispute, and then renewed in 2012.

However, it expired October 12, 2015. Negotiators are now nearly half way through a one year grace period to get a new deal done before the U-S is again in position launch trade action, against Canadian producers.

Madison’s Canadian Lumber reporter/publisher, Keta Kosman, says the industry has enjoyed recent steady, if not spectacular, production on both sides of the border, adding: