Solution delayed

Softwood lumber dispute with the U.S.

A made-in-Canada solution to help softwood producers and workers weather the storm of U.S. duties has been delayed at least until the end of May.

It has been almost a month since the U.S. Department of Commerce slapped import duties of three to 24 per cent on Canadian softwood, arguing Canada unfairly subsidizes its industry by keeping the price of logging artificially low.

Cabinet discussed a package of options for up to $1 billion in aid for the softwood industry earlier this week, but negotiations with industry and provincial governments are still underway.

A source with knowledge of the negotiations says Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr had hoped to have the plan ready to present publicly by the end of this week, but things didn’t quite come together in time.

The House of Commons is off next week for a break week, which means the earliest cabinet can discuss and finalize the plan now is May 30.

Multiple sources say there were meetings at the provincial level to discuss the package options this past week. A Quebec source told the Canadian Press the government was reluctant at first to do any kind of aid package, but has since changed its mind.

Quebec and Ontario have been pressing Ottawa to get loan guarantees ready since at least February.

Carr said this week “everything is on the table” when it comes to possible help for the industry as Canada prepares to fight the U.S. tariffs in court, and with both the World Trade Organization and under the North American Free Trade Agreement.

He specifically mentioned loan guarantees, which are one of the more controversial options because some fear the U.S. will see them as subsidies and will simply hike the tariffs more.

Frank Dottori, CEO of White River Forest Products in Northwestern Ontario, said that’s nonsense.

“We want a loan guarantee,” he said Friday.

He said the idea of loan guarantees as a subsidy has been debated and reviewed by international trade panels and rejected.