The Government of Canada Friday released a statement regarding ongoing negotiations for a bilateral Softwood Lumber Agreement with the US:
http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=1086569
“Following this initial 100 days of intensive engagement, the United States and Canada have made significant advances in exploring the key issues and priorities,”
but no other word on what these advances might be, what happens next, or any kind of time frame.
Meanwhile, BC Premier Christy Clark said to the Quesnel, BC, Chamber of Commerce Wednesday:
“We are not going to accept a deal that imposes quotas in Canada because it would be bad for BC jobs. We hope we’re going to get there by the end of the summer but every day hope dims a little bit,” according to My Prince George Now.
Elsewhere, and much more ominously, at Inside US Trade June 9:
https://insidetrade.com/inside-us-trade/us-lumber-proposal-rejected-canadian-negotiators
“Canadian negotiators rejected a proposal on a new softwood lumber agreement that the US floated during a senior-level meeting in Ottawa on May 26, according to informed sources. The Canadians balked at the US offer of a market share for Canadian lumber in the US market starting at 28 per cent, which would gradually decline to 22 per cent over four years, said sources familiar with the negotiations.”