Louis Lafleur

…Louis Lafleur is the president of Les Boisés Lafleur, in Victoriaville, Quebec. They add wood veneers from maple, ash, and eucalyptus to plywood used for countertops and furniture. … He exports three-quarters of his finished product to the U.S. and was dreading duties. At first, his American clients, who were convinced tariffs wouldn’t stay in place long, said they’d pay a little more to help absorb the hit. The U.S. tariffs on his exports haven’t materialized, but in February, before he left office, Justin Trudeau announced a counter-tariff on $30 billion worth of goods entering Canada from the U.S. — including the category of wood Lafleur uses for his veneers. He imports all of his wood from the U.S., and he’s been paying a 25 per cent duty on those imports since March 4. “My clients are saying, ‘now you’re complaining because your government [adds] a tariff?’ We look a little stupid,” Lafleur says.