Richard Cannings

South Okanagan—West Kootenay NDP MP Richard Cannings laid into the current and previous federal governments this week for failing to stand up to the United States on softwood lumber. In a lengthy speech in the House of Commons Thursday, Cannings blasted Justin Trudeau for failing to reach a deal with former President Barack Obama, despite the duo’s “highly flaunted bromance.” “Now we must negotiate with President Trump, whose administration has moved to hit our softwood lumber industry with even more tariffs,” he said, adding the industry is “reeling.” Pointing to tariffs as high as 27 per cent hitting softwood lumber, and 300 per cent tariffs in the aerospace industry, he said “the way we negotiate trade deals is wrong.”