Republicans complained to Canada for forest fires. “Child quarrels about wood”

A group of American politicians from the Republican Party filed a formal complaint against Canada in connection with forest fires. The US applied additional duties on Canadian construction wood.

A group of Republicans brought their complaint to the American Environmental Protection Agency and the International Joint Commission (IJC – International Commission) – said the public broadcaster of CBC. IJC was created by Canada and the USA at the beginning of the 20th century and deals with, among others cross -border matters regarding rivers, lakes and air quality. Republican politicians want to investigate the management of fire situations in Canada.

Prime Minister Manitoby WAB KASEW in an interview with the Canadian Press agency accused republican politicians on Thursday “Political games” in serious matters and “childish brawls about wood”. He called them “looking for publicity, without the ability to find good ideas for healthcare or reduce high prices.”

Already in mid -July this year. The Canadian media described a letter of six Republican members of the American Congress, who wrote to the Canadian Ambassador in the USA Kirsten Hillman that smoke from forest fires moves south and hinders holidays to Americans. This leaves followed another, addressed to Canadian politicians.

The Canadian government warned in July that this year's summer could be the second worst season in the history of forest fires. The Ministry of Natural Resources emphasized that forest fires are one of the effects of climate change leading to drought. The public CBC sender reminded that Trump called the climate change “mystification”.

Among the letters that the American Republicans have been sending to Canada for several weeks, there was also a letter representing Jacek Bergman's Michigan Congress in Congress, who wrote that Canada must improve the quality of forest management. The Canadian media pointed out that the accusations of the inability to manage forests appeared at the time of tensions in relations between the two countries. On Friday, the USA imposed additional duties on Canadian construction wood in the amount of 35.19 percent.

One of the most affected by American duties is the British Colombia, where the wood industry is an important part of the economy. The Minister of Forestry of British Ravi Parmar wrote on a Friday statement on social networks that “two words describe the last move of Donald Trump regarding the increase in compensation duties to Canadian construction wood: absurdity and recklessness.” He emphasized that American duties for the export of wood from British Columbia will reach up to 48 percent for some products. , which “will worsen the crisis of the availability of houses on both sides of the border.” British Colombia in consultation with the Federal Government will appeal against this decision.

Dutch for Canadian wood are a recurring topic of commercial disputes between the two countries. During the first term of Donald Trump, in April 2017, the US imposed additional duties reaching 24 percent. for construction wood from Canada. The American Ministry of Trade claims that the fact that Canadian forests are state -owned and the woodening is regulated means that the Canadian wood industry receives undue subsidies. The allegation was derived from the fact that Canadian forests are 94 percent. State ownership, while American producers use private forests. However, at the end of August 2020, the World Trade Organization announced that additional duties introduced to Canadian wood were unfounded.

From Toronto Anna Lach (PAP)

Lach/ Mal/