The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is pledging a co-ordinated offensive with the provinces to fight new U.S. duties against Canadian softwood lumber exports while opening the door to retaliation against American coal. The Globe's Brent Jang writes that on Friday, Mr. Trudeau wrote B.C. Premier Christy Clark to assure her that he will stick up for Canada's forestry industry. He also said the feds will take seriously Ms. Clark's request that Ottawa ban exports of thermal coal from B.C. ports. In her April 26 letter to the Prime Minister, Ms. Clark linked her request for a ban on thermal-coal exports to the U.S. decision to slap duties of up to 24.12 per cent on Canadian lumber shipments south of the border. Her request covers not only U.S. coal producers, but also asks Ottawa to halt thermal-coal exports which originate from Canadian mines. Coal Valley Resources Inc., owned by Colorado-based Westmoreland Coal Co., runs an Alberta coal mine 100 kilometres south of Edson. Last year, Westshore Terminals' loadout in Delta, south of Vancouver, had almost 6.6 million tonnes of thermal coal exported to Asia. Most of that coal originates from mines in Montana.