Canada launches trade complaint against US over duties

Chris Wattie | Reuters

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer (R) addresses the media with Canada’s Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland (C) and Mexico’s Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo at the close of the third round of NAFTA talks involving the United States, Mexico and Canada in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, September 27, 2017.

Canada has launched an attack on U.S. trade practices with an international complaint over Washington’s use of punitive duties.

The complaint ramps up tensions amid talks on renegotiating the North American Free Trade agreement.

Canada wants the World Trade Organization to examine the use of duties in the United States, alleging they violate international law. The complaint was filed last month but released Wednesday.

The U.S. just announced duties of up to 9 percent on Canadian paper. It follows a series of similar penalties as the U.S. alleges unfair trade practices by Canada in the form of softwood lumber and Bombardier subsidies.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a statement that Canada’s complaint is a “broad and ill-advised attack on the U.S. trade remedies system.”