The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that Canadian lumber industry and government officials have stated that they will defend the country's economic interests as they work toward a resolution following the U.S. Department of Commerce's decision to almost double its tariffs on softwood in the continuing trade dispute. The Globe's Jeffrey Jones writes that on Tuesday, Washington raised its combined countervailing and anti-dumping duties on most Canadian softwood lumber to 14.54 per cent from the previous 8.05 per cent. This increase was not significantly higher than the preliminary assessment of 13.86 per cent in February, which came as a surprise at the time, according to Kurt Niquidet, president of the BC Lumber Trade Council. The U.S. has imposed the higher tariffs due to the industry's struggles amidst a fragile North American economy, characterized by weak demand for new housing construction and renovation. Additionally, Home Depot warned investors of lower sales for the full year, reflecting the overall home improvement slump. B.C. loggers have also faced limitations due to land-use policies, which have restricted their access to timber, as mentioned by Mr. Niquidet.