B.C. leader could drag Canada into unwanted battle with U.S. on softwood: expert
BURNABY, B.C. — A vow by British Columbia’s Liberal leader to fight American tariffs on softwood lumber may force the federal government to wage an unwanted battle with the United States, an international trade expert says.
Christy Clark asked Ottawa to ban thermal U.S. coal shipments passing through B.C. ports after the Americans imposed an average tariff of 20 per cent on Canadian softwood lumber this week.
Clark said Friday on the campaign trail for the May 9 provincial election that if the federal government, which has jurisdiction over ports, fails to stop American coal shipments going from B.C. to countries such as China, she would impose her own measures.
“We can put a levy so onerous on the movement of thermal coal from British Columbia that no one will do it,” she said in Burnaby.