B-C Lumber Trade Council is applauding the federal government for filing a complaint with the World Trade Organization over the use of punitive trade duties by the United States. The complaint alleges the American use of anti-dumping and countervailing duties violates global trade rules and was announced one day after the U-S announced duties as high as nine per cent on Canadian paper — and follows stiffer penalties that were earlier imposed on Canadian softwood lumber. Council president Susan Yurkovic says the Canadian lumber industry has been subjected to unfair and unwarranted duties imposed by the U-S for years and has filed appeals under NAFTA and as well as W-T-O agreements. Yurkovic adds that unbiased organizations asked to review the trade practices have ruled in Canada’s favour.