As the United States threatens B.C.'s softwood lumber industry with higher duties and other measures, B.C.'s forests minister criticized Canada's federal government for not doing enough. But the provincial opposition did not buy these arguments in accusing the provincial government of having failed the industry.
Ravi Parmar said Monday afternoon that the federal government needs to do more. "(There) is a number of initiatives that we are working on internally, but is is clear to use that the federal government has to step up as well," he said. "They (Ottawa) have been absent on the file."
Parmar's criticism came after Premier David Eby had met with federal Liberal Leader Mark Carney during Carney's first stop in B.C. and their first face-to-face meeting. While the two men discussed the issue, it is not clear which, if any specific, policy steps will come forward.
Parmar acknowledged the current federal election and pointed to agreement with Ottawa's plan to divert B.C. softwood lumber into Canadian housing made out of mass timber as part of an ambitious housing program.
But Parmer accused Ottawa of treating B.C.'s softwood lumber industry differently than other key industries in other provinces.
"If this was the auto sector, there would be more on the table," Parmar said. He added that B.C. is still waiting for the federal government to roll a loan guarantee program for industry.
"We encouraged them heavily to roll it out before a federal election, because we need that loan guarantee program in place," he said. Parmar also criticized Ottawa's decision to cut a program designed to help the forestry sector diversify.
He also called on Ottawa to shelter the provincial forestry sector from the potential effects of an investigation launched by the U.S. Commerce Department last month on grounds of national security.
"This is a big deal for us and that is why we need the federal government to step up," Parmar said.
But the Conservative opposition did not buy these arguments.
Conservative Party of B.C. Leader John Rustad said neither Ottawa nor B.C. have done enough to protect the industry in speaking with reporters after Question Period. "So that tells me that there doesn't seem to be a desire to solve this and so I'm not anticipating any serious action one way or the other," Rustad said.
Rustad added B.C. has lost its competitiveness "(The) reality is our cost structure is so devastating in this province, that it's tough for the anybody to be able to operate," he said.
Rustad also repeated his calls that the provincial government impose a carbon tax on thermal coal mined in the United States but shipped through B.C. ports. He said money raised through such a measure could be used as leverage against the United States.
Other members of Rustad's party, meanwhile, pointed out during Question Period that government could not blame new duties imposed last week on the United States.
"The NDP knew that these softwood lumber duties were scheduled to increase long before the tariffs were a threat," Conservative Ward Stamer, MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson said. "It's inexcusable that they have done nothing to shield B.C. businesses from that impact."
The state of B.C.'s softwood lumber industry was the primary, but not the only item on the agenda as Eby and Carney met.
Eby greeted Carney, who has campaigning in Greater Victoria as leader of the federal Liberals, just before noon outside the legislature with the two men having met for about 30 minutes.
"Great to see you in person -- we got a lot to talk about today," Eby said to Carney before pointing to the state of the provincial softwood lumber industry.
The United States had announced last week that it plans to raise existing softwood lumber duties to almost 35 per cent and tariffs could raise this figure beyond 50 per cent, potentially crippling an industry that has already been struggling in the face of existing duties and other issues such as forest fires, pine beetle and economic changes.
Carney had touched on the issue during a campaign in the Greater Victoria community of Saanichton. He called the latest American actions unjustified, adding that he is focused on the issue given the importance of the industry to B.C. specifically and Canada generally.
Carney said Canada will respond to Americans actions against the softwood lumber industry and its workers.
"You can expect us to fight against it and you can expect us to take specific to protect these workers," he said.
Carney also added that he would be discussing the opioid crisis caused by drugs like fentanyl, when asked about Ottawa's future plans for B.C.'s current drug criminalization trial. Ottawa had approved the three-year-trial set to end next year. B.C. has had to revise several aspects of the trial following public backlash.
Carney also signalled that housing would come up, with Carney having raised the idea of diverting Canadian lumber currently heading toward the United States into an ambitious housing plan. But Carney also conceded that this plan would not fully replace the American market and take time. "We are going to fight hard to get that access to this market, but we also have to have the ambition...to build in this country, use our resources."
Eby, meanwhile, signalled mining, especially critical minerals, energy and trade corridors as subjects. Eby had also previously complained that B.C. does not get the same level of financial support for housing, infrastructure and immigrants under the system of equalization between Ottawa and the provinces.
Eby also tried to inject a moment of levity during his brief public appearance with Carney by asking him to resolve the tariff situation by May. Eby said British Columbians could then visit Seattle to see the Toronto Blue Jays play following their extension of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s contract by 14 years with a value of $500 million.
Carney's stop at the legislature came after he had campaigned for the second time in less than 24 hours in a B.C. riding not held by his party.
Carney's outreach to voters who had not previously supported his party assumed a personal dimension when a reporter asked Eby, a provincial New Democrat, whether he would want Carney to win, as the duo walked toward Eby's office. Eby responded to the question with a smile but declined to answer. Carney was more forthcoming. "I want me to win, how is that," he said.
Rustad, meanwhile, tried to tie Carney and Eby together by calling Carney Eby's "puppet-master" during Question Period. "When you look at David Eby's speaking lines on forestry as well as on a number of other files, they seem to come directly from what is being said in Ottawa," Rustad said. "(So) I often wonder, who's calling the shots?"
Carney is scheduled to travel to Richmond Monday afternoon before leaving B.C., where 43 seats will be up for grabs. Polls show the federal Liberals on the upswing in a province, where they have historically struggled in ridings outside of Metro Vancouver. Carney's trip to Vancouver Island can be read as outreach to voters who have historically voted for federal New Democrats and Greens but seeking other options in the face of U.S. tariffs and annexation threats.
Conservatives are also targeting Vancouver Island, an historic NDP strong-hold.
Carney's motivations to broaden the electoral appeal of his party appear in his campaign locations while on Vancouver Island.
Carney's first campaign stop in B.C. since the start of the federal election two weeks started in the riding of Victoria held by New Democrat Laurel Collins. Carney then turned his attention to toward Green voters by campaigning in Saanich-Gulf Islands, where voters elected federal Green Party co-leader Elizabeth May in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2021.
He underscored his outreach to Green voters by announcing that a future government of his would open new 10 new national parks and marine conservation areas along with 15 new national urban parks along with other environmental measures. Carney said these measures will help Canada meet its goal of protecting 30 per cent of its land base and 30 per cent of its marine areas by 2030.
But day-to-day events also loomed large during Carney's stop in Saanichton. Standing underneath a tent that shielded him and local Liberal candidates from the heavy rain falling Monday morning, Carney also touched on the state of global trading markets as they continue to roil from U.S. tariffs. He warned of tough times ahead, but also said that Canada is prepared.
"We have been taking steps and we are continuing to take steps to protect Canadians," he said. He added that the reactions of the market were entirely predictable, adding that the likelihood of a recession in the U.S. has gone up "significantly."
While Canada cannot control the actions of the U.S., Canada has taken steps to protect the Canadian economy. But he also acknowledged that such a recession in the U.S. will have significant and unavoidable effects in Canada.
