Collins, King Statement in Response to ITC Vote in Canadian Paper Producers Trade Case

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King released the following statement today in response to the U.S. International Trade Commission’s determination that the U.S. supercalendered paper industry is materially injured by reason of imports of subsidized supercalendered paper from Canada:
 
“The International Trade Commission’s decision is welcome news for the hardworking men and women of Madison Paper Industries who have for far too long fought against illegal and unfair provincial subsidies like the ones provided to the Port Hawkesbury Mill,” Senators Collins and King said in a joint statement. “The Commission’s decision validates American producers’ long held concerns and will help even the playing field in this important segment of the paper market.    

“However, we remain concerned with how the Department of Commerce conducted its investigation of the Canadian producers. The Department of Commerce should have, as we requested, reviewed all four Canadian producers of supercalendered paper to ensure a fair and fact-based process. Rather than conduct a careful assessment of the actual subsidies received by each company, the Department relied on Port Hawkesbury’s and Resolute’s subsidies to determine an arbitrary and unfair duty rate for Irving and Catalyst,” Senators Collins and King continued. “This ill-advised decision could affect more than 1,000 Maine workers employed at J.D. Irving and the Catalyst-owned mill in Rumford, and it is wrong. We will support Irving and Catalyst as they request an expedited review of the findings to ensure the companies receive the individual examinations to which they are entitled as part of a fair and fact-based investigation.”