OTTAWA -- International Trade Minister François-Philippe Champagne suggests there may be federal assistance provided to softwood lumber workers affected by recently announced American tariffs.
In an interview to air Sunday morning on CTV's Question Period, Champagne said the government needs to be there for workers.
"That's number one. We need to make sure, if anyone is affected, that we're going to be there with the provinces and the federal government," Champagne told Question Period host Evan Solomon.
Asked whether that means a federal package to support workers, Champagne said the government is working with the provinces "to make sure that all options are on the table to support the workers."
"And the industries know that, and the provinces know that. [Natural Resources Minister] Jim Carr just had a call with his provincial counterparts," he added.
"We've been talking for months on this issue."
The dispute had been brewing since Barack Obama was president, with the last deal expiring in October 2016 after a one-year extension. Canadian officials expected the U.S. to move to introduce tariffs this quarter.
Former U.S. ambassador to Canada James Blanchard said Trump's first meeting with Trudeau was the best day the U.S. president has had, but the contentious speech the administration used this week is "no way to treat your ally."
"We've been arguing about lumber since 1957," Blanchard said.
"We'll end up cutting a negotiated settlement. It's not a big deal, but he's acting like it's a very big deal, and we just don't need bombast and bragging. It's really unbecoming of a president for what really is -- not to British Columbia or some of our other people -- but it's a minor trade dispute in the overall success of our trading relationship."
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