U.S. presses lumber issue

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — In a sign the United States is taking a more aggressive stance in a long-running dispute over Canadian lumber imports, a U.S. trade official yesterday accused Canada of failing to negotiate in good faith.

While U.S. officials continue to support direct talks, "we hope the Canadians will end their strategy of frustrating meaningful negotiations so both sides can develop a durable solution to this 20-year problem," a spokesman for the U.S. Trade Representative said.

The comments came a week after a U.S. trade body agreed to comply with a NAFTA panel ruling that Canadian imports are no threat to the U.S. softwood industry.