Ottawa is at the centre of a growing interprovincial spat over trade priorities, with British Columbia Premier David Eby publicly questioning why the federal government appears more focused on pipeline negotiations than fighting for relief on B.C.'s battered softwood lumber industry.
Eby's Frustration Spills Into Public View
In remarks reported by the Toronto Star, Eby said he genuinely doesn't understand why Ottawa is prioritizing pipeline discussions when the softwood lumber dispute with the United States continues to devastate communities across B.C.'s forestry sector. The comments mark a notable moment of friction between a provincial NDP government and the federal Liberal administration — two parties that generally share a good deal of common ground.
Softwood lumber has been a thorny file in Canada-U.S. trade relations for decades. American producers have long argued that Canadian lumber benefits from unfair government subsidies, and Washington has repeatedly hit Canadian exports with punishing countervailing and anti-dumping duties. For B.C., which accounts for the lion's share of Canada's softwood exports, those tariffs translate directly into mill closures, layoffs, and hollowed-out resource towns.
Why Pipelines Are Getting Ottawa's Attention
The pipeline discussion Eby is referring to centres on Canada's ongoing efforts to use energy infrastructure — including expanded export capacity — as both a bargaining chip and an economic lifeguard in the face of U.S. trade pressure under the Trump administration's tariff agenda. Ottawa has framed pipeline development as a way to diversify Canada's export markets and reduce dependency on American buyers, particularly for oil and gas.
But Eby's point is pointed: that framing may work for Alberta's energy sector, yet it does precious little for the tens of thousands of B.C. workers whose livelihoods depend on getting softwood lumber into American markets under fair terms.
A Tale of Two Provinces
The tension highlights a classic challenge for federal governments navigating a country with wildly different regional economies. What looks like a smart trade strategy from 30,000 feet — leaning into pipeline diplomacy — can feel like abandonment when you're a sawmill worker in Prince George or a logging contractor in the Interior.
For B.C., softwood lumber isn't just an industry — it's a cultural and economic backbone of rural communities that have already endured years of volatility from pine beetle infestations, wildfires, and shifting global demand. Adding punishing U.S. tariffs on top of all that has pushed the sector to a breaking point.
What Ottawa Has Said
Federal officials have maintained that trade file management is holistic and that softwood lumber remains a priority in negotiations with Washington. But Eby's very public frustration suggests B.C. isn't feeling the love — and he's making sure Ottawa hears about it.
Whether this public pressure shifts the federal approach remains to be seen. With the next round of Canada-U.S. trade talks still taking shape, B.C.'s forestry sector is watching closely — and apparently, so is its premier.
Source: Toronto Star via Google News Ottawa RSS feed.
