Premier David Eby says B.C. will look at its options to bring legal pressure in the United States to force the cancellation of more tariffs after the Friday (Feb. 20) U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down the main batch of levies.
“I think it opens up the possibility for us to challenge, or for others to challenge, the softwood lumber national security tariffs that we’ve been facing,” Eby said. “Obviously, it’s early days, but certainly if that’s available to us, we will pursue it.”
The court decision strikes down the tariffs that U.S. President Trump had implemented using a 1970s-era emergency powers law. Other tariffs imposed on national security grounds remain, including those on softwood lumber and aluminum. Trump also pledged to implement 10 per cent global tariffs using other powers.
Eby said the province had retained a U.S. law firm for advice when tariffs were first introduced, and may look at how it can aid companies in fighting the remaining tariffs.
He said that this type of work is normally done directly by the federal government, but there may now be options based on the court decision for the province to work with individual companies.
“Some of those tariffs are, in my opinion, as a result of this decision today, potentially open for challenge, and courts seem willing now to review the president’s decisions in these areas,” Eby said.
B.C. Conservative Leader Trevor Halford welcomed the news of the court decision, acknowledging the real threat posed by these trade policies, but said Eby and others now need to stop blaming this situation for the province’s economic situation.
“The NDP can’t keep using global turmoil and Donald Trump as a blanket excuse for deficits that are driven by their own habit of irresponsible spending,” Halford said in a written statement. “B.C. needs a plan for growth; they don’t need the same tired excuses from this NDP government.”