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March 9th, 2018

NDP statement on steel and aluminum tariffs temporary exemption

NDP International Trade Critic, Tracey Ramsey, made the following statement:

“New Democrats, together with industry stakeholders and workers, cautiously welcome President Trump’s announcement that the proposed steel and aluminum tariffs will be delayed. President Donald Trump has caused Canadian workers a great deal of anxiety over the past week and as the Member of Parliament for an area in which jobs are reliant upon most of these major industries, it certainly has caused sleepless nights.

As the NDP International Trade Critic, I am particularly concerned with the impact of Trump’s continued threats of expensive and destructive tariffs to manipulate the ongoing NAFTA renegotiations and this is something New Democrats cannot tolerate. It is imperative that all parties come to the negotiating table in good faith.

This week, our three nations concluded the seventh round of NAFTA negotiations in Mexico City; New Democrats stand with the Government of Canada and remind them that their top priority must be to protect our supply managed sectors, to negotiate reasonable rules of origin, to safeguard Canadian jobs and to defend against unfair tariffs.

While these tariffs are delayed, they could still be applied in the future, and it is incumbent upon the Government of Canada to be prepared for this action. Canada must strengthen our trade remedy system and our policies must change to defend against steel dumping from other nations.

For well over a year, New Democrats have been calling on the government to address the harmful steel dumping actions from countries like China and South Korea; it is key that Canada and the U.S. work together on this issue instead of divisively.”