Speaking on a radio talk show in Alberta, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Tuesday, his government will stick with the current softwood lumber deal.

Harper says only time will tell if his minority government has enough support to have the softwood lumber deal passed. He says the Tories know that opinion on the deal isn't unanimous, but they're confident most of the industry wants the government to move ahead with it.

The prime minister says that under the agreement, Canada will get back 82 per cent of the duties the Americans have placed on softwood lumber.

The alternative he explained, is seven more years of litigation, with the money continuing to flow to the U.S. and its lawyers.