Doug Ford & Donald Trump
If Donald Trump’s first term was a comedy of errors, this one is already a horror show with a supporting cast of villains and Canada as an intended victim. The U.S. president made a rash of dangerous promises to get elected and just nine weeks in he is stalking his northern neighbour with a vengeance. …The hubris here is breathtaking. A century-and-a-half of proximate friendship and mutual dependence is in danger of evaporating. …The U.S. does need Canadian lumber. Canada is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of softwood lumber. In 2023, the U.S. imported 28.1 million cubic meters of softwood lumber from Canada – 30% of its supply – primarily for residential and commercial construction. Other sources such as Germany and Sweden can’t hope to match Canadian output. …The U.S. does need Canadian oil. …The U.S. does need Canadian natural gas. …The U.S. doesn’t need Canadian automobiles per se but it does need Canadian automakers.
Additional coverage in Prince George Daily News, by Peter Ewart: Which way Canada in the face of US tariffs?
BC could face severe economic consequences from president-elect Donald Trump’s proposed 25% tariff on Canadian imports. The province projects a cumulative economic loss of $69 billion over four years, with real GDP potentially declining by 0.6% annually in 2025 and 2026. The BC. Ministry of Finance, estimates significant job losses and revenue reductions during this period, with the unemployment rate possibly increasing to 6.7% in 2025 and 7.1% in 2026. The tariff’s effects on the labor market could result in 124,000 job losses by 2028, with the most affected sectors being natural resources, manufacturing, transportation, and retail. Corporate profits could decrease annually by $3.6 billion to $6.1 billion. …Experts indicate that the tariffs could disrupt the US lumber supply chain. Rajan Parajuli, an NC State University professor, said that… US lumber producers might profit from higher prices, consumers would face increased costs if demand remains steady. The Peterson Institute for International Economics notes that these tariffs could extend beyond Canada, impacting the broader wood product sector.
The B.C. government has turned down a petition to investigate Canada’s largest forestry company at a time when a federal probe into the firm faces the prospect of total collapse. On December 2, 2024, the national Standing Committee on Natural Resources unanimously passed a motion summoning Paper Excellence owner Jackson Wijaya to testify before lawmakers—an order that was enforceable with a legal subpoena if necessary. …Charlie Angus, the NDP’s natural resources critic and member of Parliament for Timmins–James Bay, said Wijaya’s expanded ownership over APP represents a break down in government oversight. …the probe came to a grinding halt when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau … prorogued Parliament. That act wiped out the work of all parliamentary committees, including the motion to summon Wijaya….When asked if B.C.’s Ministry of Forests would heed calls to launch its own investigation into Paper Excellence, a spokesperson deferred to the federal government. 
The Western Retail Lumber Association used its trade show, taking place now in Edmonton, as the platform for announcing a major rebranding initiative. After in-depth consultation with its members and board, partners, and key stakeholders, the WRLA has been renamed as Supply-Build Canada. The change is effective today. “As the association expands its advocacy efforts and external partnerships, the ‘Western Retail Lumber Association’ name became a misnomer,” says association president Liz Kovach. “The building supply industry encompasses building materials beyond lumber, and the association represents manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, and other categories not represented by just retail.” Because many of the association’s members, especially on the supplier side, have offices and production outside of the West, the new name intends to capture that, “making a wholesale change of name both necessary and timely,” Kovach adds.
VANCOUVER, BC – Western Forest Products announced that its hourly employees represented by United Steelworkers Local 1- 1937 have voted to ratify a new collective agreement. The new six-year collective agreement has a retroactive effective date of June 15, 2024, will expire June 14, 2030 and provides for the following general wage increases: Year 1 – 4%, Year 2 though Year 5 – 3%, and Year 6 – greater of 3% or the rate of inflation. The new agreement also includes enhancements to certain benefits and terms of mutual interest for the USW and the Company. …Western’s President and CEO Steven Hofer said: “We are pleased that our USW-represented team members have found it meets their interests and needs. …The BC forest sector is facing many challenges, and we look forward to working together with our union colleagues to build a brighter future for our company.”
Energy and forest products dominate the list of what B.C. ships across the U.S. border, as a Conservative MLA accused David Eby’s NDP government of leaving the province unprepared for tariffs threatened by incoming president Donald Trump. A new report from the Business Council of British Columbia underscores the importance of B.C.’s trading relation with the United States. It finds energy (mainly natural gas, some electricity) accounts for 27 per cent of all exports to the United States, closely followed by forestry and building material products (24 per cent). …Overall, 54 per cent of provincial exports go to the United States, which makes that country B.C.’s largest trading partner. …Workers in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction contribute $481,834 in GDP each; utilities sector workers $483,142 and forestry and logging workers $186,613 — “all significantly higher” than the provincial average of $126,209 per worker. “A decline in these jobs would significantly reduce provincial output and income,” the report said. 
Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the names of the following individuals who will hold senior staff positions in Washington, D.C. These appointees have been selected to implement President Trump’s America First agenda, ensuring that the needs of America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers remain a top priority.
It may take months, if not years, to rebuild after the wildfires in Southern California, raising the likelihood of a spike in demand for lumber in the months and years ahead. The rebuilding process after events such as these “typically drives a significant demand for building materials, particularly lumber, given its foundational role in construction,” said Michael Goodman, of building-materials wholesaler Sherwood Lumber. The California wildfires could slow the economy and boost inflation – and that’s not even the worst of it, economists say. …Looking at the bigger picture for the lumber market, Kuta said, “if one believes that interest rates will gradually moderate lower, we as a nation [would still be] woefully underbuilt and in need of new residential housing.” Among the companies to consider are lumber providers Canfor Corp. and West Fraser Timber Co. and timberland company Weyerhaeuser Co., well as building-material suppliers Builders FirstSource Inc. and Boise Cascade Co. 
A new lawsuit accuses Procter & Gamble of deceiving Charmin purchasers with misleading environmental claims, known as greenwashing, about how it sources its toilet paper. In a proposed class action on Thursday, eight consumers said Procter & Gamble obtains most wood pulp for Charmin from the Canadian boreal forest… through harmful logging practices such as clear cutting and burning. The consumers called this sourcing “completely at odds” with Procter & Gamble’s public commitment to protecting the environment, including its “Keep Forests as Forests” campaign and the “Protect-Grow-Restore” logo found on Charmin packages. The lawsuit called the display of logos from the Forest Stewardship Council and Rainforest Alliance misleading because Procter & Gamble uses little pulp from FSC-certified forests and the Rainforest Alliance no longer has a certification program. …The lawsuit… seeks restitution, compensatory damages and punitive damages for violations of consumer protection laws in 28 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.
While Donald Trump has yet to act on his multiple tariff threats, it’s likely he will. So the fear lingers that the US president’s aggressive trade posture will sow global disorder, depressing growth and roiling markets, particularly if targeted nations retaliate. But retaliation is not the only or even the most likely response to Trump, no matter how broadly he finally delivers on his threats. The US has wielded tariffs as a weapon for eight years now. …Some nations retaliated; others offered concessions or challenged them before global trade arbiters. But most just quietly moved on, seeking trade with countries other than the US. Since 2017, trade has held more or less steady at just under 60% of global GDP. But there’s been a decline in the US share of trade flows offset by an increase in other regions. Trump 2.0 seems likely to bring more of the same: trade without America.