Industry News News Policies
Minister Ng speaks with U.S. trade rep about lumber dispute, other issues

International Trade Minister Mary Ng attended the 53rd Washington Conference on the Americas this week and met with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai. The Minister thanked Ambassador Tai for supporting Canadian membership in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), and for leading efforts towards an expansion process based on consensus among current members.

In a statement, Global Affairs Canada said that during the meeting, Ng underscored the importance of upholding rules based trade to strengthen competitiveness through the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), reiterated concerns about ongoing unjustified U.S. duties on Canadian softwood lumber, and the need to work together to address shared concerns regarding reforms in Mexico’s energy and mining sectors.

“Canada is committed to strengthening its partnerships in the hemisphere through rules-based trade and investment, securing supply chains, and supporting a sustainable, resilient and inclusive economy,” Ng said.

At the conference, Ng participated in a panel discussion on the importance of rules-based trade in the hemisphere with Costa Rican Minister of Foreign Trade Manuel Tovar and U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy.

Read the full statement.