VICTORIA — Premier David Eby says it is "completely absurd" that softwood lumber exports from British Columbia to the United States face higher duties than the same product from Russia.

Eby says the softwood lumber industry is "under direct attack" after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed an additional tariff of 10 per cent on imported softwood lumber starting Oct. 14.

This new levy means that Canadian softwood lumber entering the United States will see total import taxes exceeding 45 per cent, while Russia is exempt from U.S. reciprocal tariffs, although it is still subject to various western sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine.

Forests Minister Ravi Parmar says the United States must decide whether it wants to do business with British Columbia or with Russia, whose leader Vla

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