Defend Canadian workers potentially affected by trade disputes, including in the forestry, energy and mining sectors.

What success looks like

The interests of Canadian industries and its workers in Natural Resource sectors are defended bilaterally and multilaterally to ensure fair, consistent rule-based trade practices.

Government's narrative on progress

The Government of Canada has a responsibility to Canadians to maintain fair, consistent rule-based trade. The government works proactively to mitigate potential disputes and supports sectors impacted by trade actions of other countries in order to ensure that Canadian industries remain globally competitive and prosper in a healthy, integrated economy. The government works collaboratively with its trade partners to respond proactively to emerging trade issues. In the forest sector, the government has challenged trade actions on softwood lumber, uncoated groundwood paper, supercalendered paper and dissolving pulp under NAFTA Chapter 19 and at the World Trade Organization; duties have been removed from uncoated groundwood paper and supercalendered paper and litigation continues on softwood lumber and dissolving pulp. The government also responded to US steel and aluminum tariffs with reciprocal, proportionate countermeasures, and consulted broadly and transparently to efficiently implement retaliatory measures on targeted products. Canada continues to develop and implement mitigation policies, such as the Softwood Lumber Action Plan, in order to support industries, communities, and workers affected by trade disputes until those barriers can be removed.

Note: this is the government's own description, not an independent assessment.