New Brunswick premier to make final push in Washington on softwood lumber
CHARLOTTETOWN — New Brunswick’s premier heads to Washington on Tuesday, to meet with a senior member of President Donald Trump’s cabinet, in a final push to have his province exempt from hefty duties on softwood lumber exports to the United States.
It’s the second time in two months that Brian Gallant will meet with U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to make New Brunswick’s case — ahead of a final determination expected September 7.
In June, the U.S. Department of Commerce hit Canada with an additional 6.87 per cent in preliminary average anti-dumping tariffs, leaving the industry facing average duties of about 27 per cent.
The decision exempts the other three Atlantic provinces, but New Brunswick — exempt from such tariffs in the past — is not.