Softwood lumber talks have waned under Trump, says Canada's chief negotiator

Canada's top negotiator in the softwood lumber trade dispute with the United States says discussions around the disagreement have waned since President Donald Trump took office.

Kirsten Hillman, assistant deputy minister at Global Affairs Canada, says the matter doesn't appear to be front of mind thanks to the new U.S. administration, which has yet to put in place some of the key players to work on the file.

Hillman says reaching a stable, predictable and fair agreement is one of the Canadian government's top priorities.

She made the comments to industry members who had gathered in Vancouver to attend the Council of Forestry Industries' annual convention.

The softwood lumber trade dispute has been a thorn in the side of federal and provincial governments for decades, and a nine-year agreement that stopped the discord expired in late 2015.

American lumber producers are pushing for their government to restrict trade on Canadian imports that they claim are unfairly subsidized.