Ambassador Michael Froman, United States Trade Representative, and the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s Minister of International Trade, today issued the following statement to update on the status of negotiations toward a new softwood lumber agreement between Canada and the United States:
“The softwood lumber industry is a vital sector for both the United States and Canada. In our effort to reach a new agreement on softwood lumber, we and our officials have been intensively engaged in government-to-government sessions, in meetings with our respective producers and other stakeholders, and in dialogue with state and provincial governments.
“While our engagement has yet to produce a new agreement, our governments will continue negotiations though the standstill period has expired. In those negotiations, we will work to meet the mandate agreed to by President Obama and Prime Minister Trudeau when they met in Ottawa in June – a new agreement that is designed to maintain Canadian exports at or below an agreed upon U.S. market share to be negotiated, with the stability, consistency and flexibility necessary to achieve the confidence of both industries. In that regard, Canadian and American officials are continuing to meet in Washington, D.C., this week.
“The United States and Canadian governments are committed to continuing negotiations in an effort to achieve a durable and equitable solution for North American softwood lumber producers, downstream industries, and consumers.”
