Canada will protect its steel industry, workers: PM Justin Trudeau

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived at Algoma Steel Inc. Friday morning, where he was spotted shaking hands and taking selfies with steelworkers during his brief appearance in Sault Ste. Marie.

With a number of steelworkers standing behind him in the direct strip production complex portion of the steel plant during a media opportunity, Trudeau told the crowd - comprised of Algoma and Tenaris workers, MP Terry Sheehan, Mayor Christian Provenzano and local union leaders - that the federal government has lived up to its commitment to stand up for the Canadian steel industry and its workers.

“We had a visit here where I committed that we were going to stand by and support our workers in the steel and aluminum industry across the country, and we were able to do that,” Trudeau said.

Algoma Steel Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mike McQuade told reporters that he spoke with Trudeau briefly, thanking the prime minister on behalf of steelworkers and the citizens of Sault Ste. Marie.

McQuade says the Sault steelmaker was losing about a million dollars a day while the tariffs on steel were in place - losing roughly $300 million in all over the past year.  

“I think it’s a fabulous day,” said McQuade. “I mean, it’s basically a week after the tariffs came off, which was good news for all steelworkers - certainly good news for Algoma and Sault Ste. Marie, so it’s just a fabulous way to celebrate and reinforce what a positive step this was.”

Trudeau told reporters that while the lifting of tariffs was a hurdle, more safeguards for the country’s steel industry are needed going forward.

“Obviously, lifting those tariffs takes off a big challenge, particularly because here in the Sault there’s a tremendous amount of exposure to the American market,” said Trudeau. “Those tariffs really were a challenge for Algoma and others.”

“We know that lifting those was an important step, but there’s more to do. We continue to have the safeguards on plate steel, we continue to look forward on ways of ensuring that we are protecting our steelworkers and the Canadian steel industry from the impact of a global market that is very challenging at times,” he continued. “We’re going to continue to stand strong against transshipments. This is something that was actually integral to the approach we’ve taken with the United States and Mexico as they lifted those tariffs - as we lifted those counter-tariffs - we are committed to continue to watch very, very closely to make sure that our North American steelworkers are still secure and able to contribute the way they always have.”

And those tariffs were lifted, Trudeau says, without making concessions in other sectors.

“The core issue of the new NAFTA [North American Free Trade Agreement] was continuing to have access to our most important trading partner, the largest market in the world, at a time of unpredictability and protectionism from the U.S. administration,” he told reporters. “We were able to secure a good deal for Canadians that is good right across all sectors, and we’re very, very pleased that now that the steel tariffs have been lifted, we’re going to be able to move forward with ratification.”

Trudeau says the relationship with the United States is positive right now, and while the prime minister and U.S. President Donald Trump are two very different people with different approaches, the lifting of the U.S.-imposed tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum - and subsequent retaliatory tariffs on a number of U.S. goods by Canada - speaks to just how well the two countries have been working together.

“The lifting of the tariffs shows how well we’ve been working together,” said Trudeau. “We’re aligned on some of our challenges and our concerns around international issues.”