(OTTAWA) –The Green Party of Canada released the following statement on the latest developments in the Canada-U.S. softwood lumber dispute:

“Canada and the U.S. had an opportunity to put a new softwood lumber deal in place during the Obama administration. Instead, thousands of jobs are now under threat and dozens of mills face closure after surprise and steep tariffs from an unpredictable Trump administration,” said Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands).

“As we move to cautiously renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Canada has the power to defend our forestry industry and put an end to exporting raw logs. For years, Greens have advocated to keep our value-added jobs in Canada by implementing a substantial whole log export tax,” Ms. May said. “I’m pleased to see Trump agree to a NAFTA renegotiation rather than a full exit, as this extreme measure would have thrown billions of dollars in cross-border trade into disarray.”

Paul Manly, GPC International Trade Critic, said: “Canada’s incredible forest heritage – 300 million hectares or 10 percent of all the world’s forests – has tremendous economic and environmental value. In renegotiating NAFTA, Canada can answer fundamental questions about who owns our forests, and modernize who benefits from it. Our forests need to be managed with long-term, environmental sustainability as a priority.”

-30-

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Dan Palmer

Green Party of Canada

613.614.4916

dan.palmer@greenparty.ca