Trudeau applauds united front in fight over U.S. tariffs

SAULT STE. MARIE, ONT. — Justin Trudeau is crediting the co-ordinated efforts of business, labour and political leaders for securing an exemption for Canadian steel and aluminum from the recent threat of U.S. trade duties.

Speaking with industry heads Wednesday in Sault Ste. Marie, the prime minister said it would have been far more difficult to convince the United States that restricting Canadian imports was a bad idea without having everyone on the same page.

“One of the really strong things about our approach is that we’re all saying the same kinds of things from very, very different perspectives,” Trudeau said. “It’s been a real team effort and Canada has been united.” U.S. President Donald Trump exempted Canada and Mexico from tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminum, although the U.S. government has been dropping hints the exception is only temporary. Trump in particular has been linking Canada’s fate on tariffs to the outcome of the ongoing NAFTA negotiations.

Ahead of Wednesday’s roundtable discussion, Trudeau emphasized how the level of integration between the American and Canadian steel industries means both economies would suffer from trade restrictions. “We can see the bridge built with local steel here that literally connects Canada to the United States,” he said, gesturing out the window toward the overpass spanning the St. Marys River that separates the Canadian city from its namesake in Michigan. “These are things that I highlighted to the president.”

The northern Ontario steel community was the latest stop on a tour of metal cities, which began in Alma, Que., moved to Hamilton on Tuesday and was scheduled to wrap up later Wednesday in Regina. Trudeau shook hands and greeted workers during an early-morning shift change at the Algoma plant. Coils of steel radiated heat from a flatbed behind him as he reassured employees it makes no sense for the U.S. to reverse the exemption. Canada will not flinch in its support for workers, he said, adding he hopes the threat can be solved in a friendly way.