Here are 17 questions that Harderblog will be watching in 2017, in search of answers:
- (See Question #1 from last year)
- Will Trump really build a wall and have Mexico pay for it?
- Will the softwood lumber dispute have found a satisfactory resolution?
- Will anticipated countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber shipments to the US be applied retroactively?
- Will Trump really pull the US out of the Paris Climate Change Agreement?
- In the face of “Fake News” and misinformation that poses distraction to sound decision formulation on many fronts, will lumber dealers lean more heavily than ever on trusted wholesale relationships to interpret market changes?
- Will Trump really pull the US out of the Iran Nuclear Deal?
- Will there be 100 million consumers shopping in augmented reality (AR) by the end of 2017?
- Will a measure of sanity return to the Vancouver housing market?
- Will the record number of homeless people identified in the City of Vancouver’s 2016 Homeless Count be broken again in 2017?
- Will tensions with China escalate over trade and Taiwan?
- In light of increased hacking of connected products, will questions surrounding cyber security have become a make-or-break issue by the end of 2017?
- Is there any indication that by the end of 2017 a future of driverless transport trucks could promise enhanced just-in-time lumber deliveries?
- Will anybody care if the Vancouver Canucks fail to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
- Will BC Premier Christy Clark’s Liberal Party secure a fifth term in May?
- Will the global crises surrounding issues of displaced peoples/refugees have eased anywhere?
- Will general predictions forecasting a “bumpy ride” for 2017 come to fruition?
Harder.Blog 
Question #4 is a good one. I think we heard that the answer is probably yes. So how do you buy or sell lumber with the threat of retroactively applied duties in the background? Can the seller make the buyer cover the risk? Or is the manufacturer/seller on the hook? Or does everyone just ignore the risk? The answer could have implications for continuing operations in the lumber sector in BC & Alta.
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Good questions Gerry. The only thing for certain at this point is that the exporter of record will be on the hook in event duties are retroactive.
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