Canada, U.S. lumber talks to go ahead next week

Canada and the United States will go ahead with planned talks next week to discuss the two countries' worsening dispute over Canadian softwood lumber exports, a U.S. embassy spokesman said on Friday. Buck Shinkman said the talks would take place in Toronto from Monday through Wednesday but cautioned against expecting any dramatic results. "These are technical talks, they are not negotiations at this stage. It's sharing of information," he told Reuters. The United States and Canada have been involved in costly litigation since the beginning of April over softwood lumber, after a bilateral deal controlling trade expired.

The U.S. lumber industry has accused Canadian provinces of illegally subsidizing its domestic industry. It also accuses Canadian firms of selling wood at below fair-market value in the United States. Canadians reject both charges. In early August, the United States announced a countervailing duty of 19.31 percent against Canadian softwood lumber, saying a preliminary investigation found Canada was illegally subsidizing its industry.