iStockphoto/KKIDDBritish Columbia lumber organizations are condemning the decision by the U.S. Commerce Department to raise anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood to 20.56%, calling them unjustified, punitive and protectionist. The council is calling on the Canadian government to make resolving the softwood dispute a top national priority, saying the latest escalation from the Commerce Department shows they can’t wait for the United States to act. Lumber Trade Council says in a separate statement that if the U.S. department’s pending review on countervailing duties aligns with its preliminary results, the combined rate against Canadian softwood shipped to the United States will be well over 30%. Lumber Trade Council said. In B.C., he has appointed Don Wright, the former deputy minister to the premier, as a strategic adviser on softwood lumber to address the challenges.