With U.S. tariffs threatening to axe B.C.’s softwood lumber industry, federal Liberal Leader Mark Carney and Premier David Eby finally sat down for their first in-person meeting—and forestry was front and centre.
Victoria, B.C. — In a face-to-face meeting that’s been long anticipated, federal Liberal leader Mark Carney and B.C. Premier David Eby locked arms to address the growing storm over U.S. softwood lumber duties. Their conversation, set against the looming threat of a 35–50% hike in tariffs from the U.S. Commerce Department, underscored one clear message: B.C. needs Ottawa to step up, fast.
But while Carney pledged action, B.C.’s forests minister Ravi Parmar didn’t mince words—saying Ottawa has been “absent on the file.”
“If This Was the Auto Sector, Ottawa Would Already Be There”
Parmar called out the double standard: “If this was Ontario’s auto industry, we’d already see guarantees and emergency response packages.”
His ask: a federal loan guarantee for B.C.’s lumber sector—before the federal election. But that hasn’t materialized.
Worse still, Parmar added, Ottawa cut a key diversification program that could’ve helped B.C. mills pivot. And with the U.S. citing “national security” as grounds for its latest trade investigations, Parmar called for federal shelter from this economic crossfire.
Carney’s Pitch: Divert Lumber Into Housing, But Will It Be Enough?
While Carney acknowledged the crisis and committed to “fighting back,” he also leaned into his party’s housing vision—diverting B.C. lumber into Canadian homes built with mass timber.
“We can’t replace the U.S. market overnight,” Carney admitted, “but we must build at home using our own resources.”
Still, critics questioned whether this solution would arrive soon enough to save the mills.
Opposition Fires Back: “No One’s Solving This”
B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad blasted both levels of government for “inaction” and doubled down on his call for a carbon tax on U.S. thermal coal shipped through B.C. ports—suggesting it could be used as leverage in future negotiations.
“This isn’t new. The NDP knew these tariffs were coming,” said Kamloops MLA Ward Stamer, accusing the government of letting B.C. businesses walk into an economic ambush unprepared.
Meanwhile in the Background: Tariffs, Trump, and Troubled Trade
Carney’s western campaign stop is timely. As the U.S. economy barrels toward a potential recession—exacerbated by Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy—Canada is bracing for blowback.
“We can’t control the U.S.,” Carney said in Saanichton. “But we can protect Canadians.”
He pointed to inflation shields, market interventions, and environmental measures—including 10 new national parks and 15 urban parks—as part of a vision to both green Canada’s economy and protect its workers.
Political Chessboard: Carney’s Coastal Calculus
Carney isn’t just rallying Liberal loyalists. His campaign trail has ventured deep into NDP and Green territory, including Victoria and Saanich-Gulf Islands—both historic bastions of progressive politics.
By planting Liberal flags in ridings held by Laurel Collins and Elizabeth May, Carney is signaling: “No seat is off the table.”
And as polls show a collapse in federal NDP support, Carney’s timing may prove strategic.
Eby Balances Loyalty and Leverage
When asked if he wants Carney to win federally, Premier Eby just smiled. But Carney didn’t hold back.
“I want me to win,” he said with a grin.
Even as Eby jokes about a future Blue Jays game in Seattle once tariffs are lifted, the stakes are no laughing matter: 43 seats in B.C. are up for grabs—and Carney’s Liberals are now leading in the polls.
What’s Next?
With Conservative and Liberal campaigns both zeroing in on Vancouver Island—long an NDP fortress—the question becomes not if the political map will change, but how drastically.
And with the softwood standoff intensifying, Carney’s pitch to redirect lumber into housing may determine whether his economic vision becomes policy—or just campaign poetry.
Stay with Maple News Wire as we continue tracking the wildfire politics of B.C.’s forestry fight and the federal leaders trying to control the blaze.
