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Trudeau and Sheehan hear from folks in the Sault (4 photos)

From Direct Strip Production to the Machine Shop. What Terry and Justin did and where they went, today

NEWS RELEASE
MP TERRY SHEEHAN
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Sault MP Terry Sheehan and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shook hands and listened to steelworkers this morning at Algoma’s Number 2 gate.

Many steelworkers thanked MP Sheehan and Prime Minister Trudeau for their hard work and decisive actions taken in defense of the Canadian Steel Industry. Several encouraged Sheehan and Trudeau to continue with federal government investment in training initiatives.

After a guided tour through the Direct Strip Production Complex, Sheehan and Trudeau headed to the Machine Shop, where they sat with representatives from Algoma’s senior management, Tenaris, USW, Sault College, Algoma University, the Economic Development Corporation, Sault and District Labour Council, the mayor, the provincial government and the Chamber of Commerce.

MP Sheehan told those assembled that almost a year ago, that he had made a pre-emptive strike in the campaign to fend off steel tariffs, by visiting Washington D.C. on two separate occasions for several days of meetings with members of Congress and Senators, members of the American Steel Caucus, The American Steel Producers Association, the USW, and the American Chamber of Commerce.

Here in Sault Ste. Marie, thousands of people and their families depend on the jobs that come from steel production and trade, “I’m proud that our Prime Minister stood up for steel on many occasions,” Sheehan said. “Thank you Mr. Prime Minister, I cannot stress enough how important this visit is, I have to underline and highlight how quick you were to stand up for steel…this has been all hands on deck in Sault Ste. Marie.”

In speaking to those gathered at the table, Trudeau recognized the challenges and opportunities in the steel industry, and the recent achievement by the federal government to have Canadian steel excluded from the United States’ proposed 25 per cent steel tariff.

“We saw this coming for well over a year,” he said. American arguments in support of the tariff based on national security don’t make sense. Canada and the United States are completely interdependent in terms of security. We share intelligence and cooperate in various ways to protect our citizens jointly. Tariffs would undermine that strong protective relationship.

Sheehan and Trudeau have made forceful economic arguments, demonstrating that Canadian steel is very much a part of the supply chain involving steel that has been developed over decades. While Canada exports billions of dollars’ worth of steel to the United States, Canada imports more. Tariffs would disrupt that supply chain, hurting communities across Canada as well as across the United States.

Trudeau and Sheehan stopped at Muio’s to pick up takeout chicken sandwiches for the Prime Minister’s flight to Regina, taking time to meet and chat with patrons.

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