B.C.'s Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said his government will do everything to protect forestry workers in the face of new tariff threats, but also issued an appeal to politicians and others south of the border.
"In our case, we are going to stand up for workers," Parmar said Thursday morning (Feb. 20). "(To) our friends in the United States, we are looking to you to stand up to your president, because right now, when these duties go, when this tariff is in place, if it is in place, it going to mean that that for those who are most vulnerable, those that lost everything in wildfires and hurricanes, they may not be able to rebuild their home, they may not have insurance...they may have to pay even more because of duties and tariffs."
Parmar made these comments after Trump said Wednesday night that United States might place a tariff of 25 per cent on lumber and forest products some time around April.
The United States currently places a duty of 14.4 per cent on softwood lumber exports, but the United States could announce a doubling of those existing duties within the next day or two.
Parmar added that total tariffs could eventually exceed 50 per cent, approaching 60 per cent. "That would be devastating to the sector and it's why the federal government also needs to step up as well and ensure we have support on the table," he said.
Parmar said he has already had discussions with various organizations and politicians, including Ottawa and unions, adding he is planning to engage with his provincial counterparts. "But I recognize that in the days ahead, a lot of forestry workers are going to be concerned about their jobs."
He added government that will continue to fight for them and continue to make the case to Americans that higher duties and tariffs will also hurt them.
"Whether, it is the wildfires in California, the hurricanes in North Carolina, the cost doing business, the cost of rebuilding your homes is going to skyrocket in those states. (It)'s important for the residents in those communities to know that and those are the actions of their president."
Parmar recently returned from California and is scheduled to travel to North Carolina and Florida. He is also scheduled to meet with members of a provincial advisory council dealing with the issue.
鈥� with files from The Canadian Press
