Canada claims it is winning the softwood lumber dispute with the US following a World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruling on the issue.

The WTO upheld its earlier report on the matter, generally siding with the Canadian government’s arguments against the US-imposed duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports.

But the dispute is still expected to drag on as a further trade panel will be set up to discuss the issue. Final determination is not expected until next spring at the earliest.

&#8220The wind in the lumber dispute issue with the USA is blowing our way.”

Canadian international trade minister Pierre Pettigrew

After the decision, Canada’s international trade minister Pierre Pettigrew told around 500 delegates at the annual meeting of the Alberta Forest Products Association that “the wind is blowing our way”. He added that the WTO had made it clear that Canada was not subsidising wood it exported to the US.

Canada is also pursuing its complaint under the terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement, with a ruling expected next February