US v Canada — Canadian Softwood Lumber! Grudge Match
Wait a damn second, Big Red Car. Canadian softwood lumber? A grudge match? What? You got some ‘splaining to do, Big Red.
Big Red Car here on a grayish Tuesday. Still, on Earth as it is in Texas, y’all!
So President Donald J Trump has fired his first shot in the centuries old trade dispute between the US and Canada over the export of Canadian softwood lumber to the US, by imposing 90-day retroactive countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber exports of up to 24%. Hello, Canada!
Everyone was expecting the trade wars to start with Mexico or China. Nope — Canada.
Game on, y’all. And, President Trump started it, just like he promised he would. [Promises made, promises kept.] Get some popcorn, a lemonade, and a seat.
This has been a sore spot for so long it is a sore spot within a sore spot.
First, let’s know this is a complex issue with a bunch of talking which has gone on for so long it has bridged more than a dozen US administrations.
Let’s review the bidding, shall we?