International Trade Minister Mary Ng said the agreement, reached during talks that ended on Friday, reflected a shared commitment to combating climate change and developing renewable energy. “This agreement will bring stability and predictability to the renewable energy sector and strengthen North America’s competitiveness,” Ng said in a statement. “It is a clear recognition of Canada’s position as a leader in the fight against climate change.” Ng met with US Trade Representative Kathryn Tye and Mexican Economy Minister Tatiana Cloutier Carrillo in Vancouver at the Free Trade Commission meeting. Tariffs were imposed by Trump in 2018, and the Canadian government said exports of solar products to the U.S. have fallen by up to 82 percent since then. In February, a dispute settlement panel found that by keeping Canadian exports subject to so-called “safeguards,” the US was violating its obligations under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement. From left, Canada’s International Trade Minister Mary Ng, Mexico’s Economy Minister Tatiana Clouthier Carrillo and US Trade Representative Catherine Tye attend free trade meetings in Vancouver on Friday. (Government of Canada/Twitter)
Softwood lumber dispute
Ng also says she raised the issue of softwood lumber negotiations during a bilateral meeting with Tai. In November, the US Commerce Department said it would impose tariffs of 17.9%, on average, on softwood lumber imported from Canada. That’s double the previous rate of 8.99 percent, and timber trade officials have spoken out. “The way forward is to find a solution with the United States,” Ng said. Both the US and Canada agreed it’s an important issue, but it’s unclear what that potential solution would look like. Tai reiterated its support for the industry. “Our priority is to ensure that US softwood lumber producers can compete on a level playing field,” Tai said. “Subsidized lumber and dumped imports undermine their ability to compete fairly.”
