VICTORIA B.C. – Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green Party, responded to the news that the United States will implement tariffs of about 20 percent on Canadian lumber. Weaver will hold a media availability at the office of Kalen Harris (candidate, Victoria-Beacon Hill) at 754 Fort Street at 2pm.
“This news is devastating for the B.C. forestry industry, which has already struggled under the Christy Clark government,” said Weaver.
“Forestry is one of our most important resource sectors and the current government has undervalued it. Far too many forest tenure licenses have been awarded to multinationals that have no interest in keeping value and jobs in B.C. A B.C. Green government will place restrictions on the export of raw logs and drive innovation by removing PST on machinery and equipment for modernization so that the value of our forestry industry stays in B.C.
“The provincial government should have ensured that B.C.’s interests were front and centre on softwood lumber. Sadly, we see today that they have failed. We needed leadership from Christy Clark before the tariffs were imposed, not afterwards. For the Premier to now hold a special cabinet meeting frankly serves as political grandstanding and little else.”
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