Liberal silence on China steel dumping deafening: NDP

NEWS RELEASE

ONTARIO NDP

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OTTAWA — International steel dumping practices, predominantly originating from Chinese producers, threaten to kill good-paying Canadian jobs and devastate local Canadian communities. Shockingly, this issue was absent from the Prime Minister’s agenda during his recent visit to China.

“Unfair trade practices by Chinese steel producers, including oversupply dumping into the world market, has many communities rightly concerned,” said NDP Critic for Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario and former steelworker, Scott Duvall (Hamilton Mountain).

“The practice of dumping low cost steel into our communities creates an unfair advantage and threatens the Canada’s steel industry – I’m incredibly disappointed it was all but ignored by the Prime Minister.”

Coupled with low steel prices, this oversupply of subsidized steel from nations with more lenient environmental and working standards threatens the lifeblood of the Canadian steel industry which accounts for more than 20,000 good paying jobs and over 100,000 related jobs.

Underscoring this concern, the Sault Ste. Marie, Windsor–Essex and Hamilton Chambers of Commerce wrote a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau, urging the Government of Canada to address the issue during his China visit. Instead, the Prime Minister disregarded this request.

"Trade needs to be fair, but what is fair about our communities being hammered by the dumping of Chinese steel into our markets?” stated NDP critic for Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay).

“I am astounded that the Prime Minister went to China and didn't make any effort to stand up for steelworking families in the Sault and elsewhere who are suffering from blatantly unfair steel policies. Canadians are right to ask why our Prime Minister isn't standing up for Canadian jobs?"

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