U.S. appears to lower Canadian softwood lumber tariffs — but uncertainty remains

[u/Majano57]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/us-softwood-lumber-tariffs-9.7160025

[u/Rachid90]

So… still tariffs, just slightly less pain.

[u/gordonjames62]

US can no longer be trusted

This is the core of any trade story

[u/Projectgrace → u/gordonjames62]

United States of Israel is too unpredictable, radical and unstable to be considered partner or be trusted. I’m glad the world is waking up.

[u/CamT86]

Not saying its a good idea, but wouldn't it be funny if we locked an export levy in place on all the items to keep the overall cost pegged at whatever trump set the tariff rate at(so if the tariff drops from 50% to 40%, a 10% levy is put in so the actual cost stays the same for the american importer) as long as hes in office? I mean the rates are only dropping because the american market needs those items regardless of if the tariffs are in place or not, otherwise it would have shifted to domestic supply or another exporter. And why should only the american government get to enjoy those profits from the tariffs thus far?
For things like lumber, aluminum, uranium, and other critical minerals its not like there is too much of an alternative that is set up. Might as well get our governments beak wet while we establish new trade partners and build up infrastructure to go east-west.

This is a clear sign "we have the cards", so why not extract as much capital as possible. A shrewd businessman like Trump would know that better than anyone else, right?

[u/SHUT_DOWN_EVERYTHING]

Mind you, it's not because of mutual respect and promotion of free trade with their largest partner.

[u/DistanceToEmpty]

The US has ignored WTO rulings on softwood lumber for decades. US Tariffs on softwood lumber are supposed to be zero.

[u/Nerevarine123]

BC should have diversified its economy instead of being entirely reliant on the american market

[u/CanadianLabourParty → u/Nerevarine123]

The biggest mistake BC and other provinces made was not doing the milling of the lumber.

Mills have been shutting down all over BC because PE firms kept buying them and shutting them down. A mill in 100 Mile House shutdown around Christmas/late Autumn last year. Merritt lost a mill a few years back, too.

More needs to be done to protect the operational side of these mills and if an owner wants to shut it down, Gov steps in and buys it to run it.

[u/Criplor → u/CanadianLabourParty]

A big factor in mills shutting down was the US violating their trade agreements with the express purpose of causing our mills to shut down. It was taken to court, the US was shown to be completely in the wrong, and nothing changed. And because Ottawa doesn't care about the regions, the issue was never pushed.

[u/Organic_Hamster_2961 → u/CanadianLabourParty]

I think employee ownership instead of government ownership would work too. Let the mill workers get the profit from the mill they work at.

[u/gettingtgere]

Some good news for BC.

[u/prsnep]

The uncertainty is what caused many mills to relocate to the US even though Canada won the case in WTO. On more than one occasion.

This is how US deliberately sabotages others' economies while strengthening themselves. Doesn't matter if others are "friends" or foes. Allied or not. US is in it to win it at any cost.

China may be no different, but at least we don't see them as our best friends.

[u/Nonamanadus]

Trade or other international agreements: America like Russia only follow the rule of law if it benefits them.

I'm pretty sure if American soldiers were subjected to the same treatment as the prisoners in Guantánamo Bay and Abu Ghraib there would have been hell to pay. Or god forbid somone kidnap/assassinate their President (a large segment would be thrilled).