Canadian government officials want domestic lumber companies to determine by Aug. 21 whether they will agree to drop outstanding lawsuits so that an agreement aimed at ending a long trade dispute between the two countries can become final.
As the deadline neared, the pro-agreement side received a boost when British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell said on Aug. 16 that his provincial government would support the pact, after the U.S. and Canada agreed to add some provisions British Columbia wanted.