U.S. expected to turn up heat on softwood lumber dispute with investigation request

A spokesman for International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland says the U.S. Lumber Coalition is expected to submit petitions to the Department of Commerce..., requesting an investigation in the ongoing softwood lumber dispute.

Softwood lumber is excluded from the continental trade agreement and lumber producers in both countries continually bicker over whether Canadian companies' cheap access to public forests constitutes an illegal subsidy.

Freeland's press secretary, Alex Lawrence, says Canada is prepared for any situation and the government will "vigorously defend" the interests of Canadian workers and producers.

This has been excerpted from the 24 November 2016 edition of CBC News and is available in its entirety at:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/softwood-lumber-dispute-investigation-commerce-dept-1.3866975