Carney in B.C. with softwood lumber a focal point amid rising U.S. duties [Video]

Steep American duties on Canadian softwood lumber were expected to be a focal point as British Columbia Premier David Eby met with Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Carney, who was on a campaign swing in Victoria, told reporters ahead of the meeting that it’s not his first time talking with Eby about softwood lumber and Canada’s response to the broader trade dispute with the United States.

He says “we’re going to fight, protect and build.”

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced a plan Friday to raise the duties on Canadian lumber to 34.45 per cent, more than double the current levy.

Asked about the U.S. plan during an earlier press conference in the Victoria area, Carney told reporters “these tariffs are wholly unjustified.”

He says he recognizes the importance of …