Prime Minister Mark Carney called the American president Donald Trump‘s double prices On the imports of “illegal” steel and aluminum, and said that the federal government would take “some time” to consider its next steps.
Carney made the comments on Wednesday a few hours after Trump’s decree, which he signed on Tuesday came into force for many countries, including Canada, including the steel and aluminum industries demanded an “immediate” government response.
Trump’s order Increase functions According to their previous rate of 25%, the document saying that it was necessary for reasons of national security and to strengthen these industries in the United States, but added that the original prices imposed in March did not have the desired effect.
There was no exemption for Canada, but the United Kingdom, which signed a new commercial framework last month, will see its rate of 25%.
“The latest steel and aluminum rates are unjustified, they are illegal, they are bad for American workers, bad for American industry and of course for Canadian industry,” said Carney.
He continued by noting that Canada currently has counter-trials on more than $ 90 billion in American imports before the delivery, saying that the government has “acted strong” by putting them in place.
The Prime Minister told journalists that the government “would take the time” to determine the next steps, because the two governments are in “intensive” discussion at the moment on the commercial relationship.
During the question period on Wednesday, Carney said that the government was preparing “reprisals” in response to the prices if negotiations with the United States are not succeeding.
Canada Steel and Aluminum Industries have warned that the doubling of the rate would have impacts harmful to North American producers and supply chains.
“At a 25%rate rate, we have seen significant layoffs, a reduction in investments and a significant drop in shipments in the United States,” Catherine Cobden, president and chief executive officer of Canadan Steel Producers Association on Wednesday.
“At a rate rate of 50%, the American market is actually closed in Canadian steel, leaving billions of dollars of Canadian steel without market.”
Get national news
For news that has an impact on Canada and worldwide, register for the safeguarding of news alerts that are delivered to you directly when they occur.
Cobden said that the steel industry and union leaders are said to be in Ottawa on Thursday to meet key ministers and other officials and “exhort immediate action for Canadian steel”.
About a quarter of all the steel used in the United States is imported and Canada is its largest supplier.
“Steel and aluminum prices will only apply on the steel and aluminum content of imported products, while the non -complex and not aluminum content of imported products will be subject to other applicable prices,” said the White House in reference to other countries.
The doubling comes a little less than three months after Trump imposed the original rate, functions which were seen for the last time during his first mandate in the same industries.
Canadian Industry leaders have warned that North American supply chains may face “irrevocable consequences” if higher prices remain in place.
Cobden said in an interview with the Canadian press on Wednesday that Canada could soon see imports from other countries excluded by the United States
“We are going to be a deeply weakened sector in a very short time,” she said.
“We are going to be flooded with steel intended for the United States that divergent in Canada. We already have an unfair commercial problem here, so it will get worse very, very quickly. ”
Cobden said that even in the original rate of 25%, the steel industry has already lost around 700 jobs and has said that Ottawa must reduce imports in the country so that producers can resume part of the domestic market.
Canada’s aluminum association said in a statement that prices will mean less demand across North America.
“This will have an impact on workers on both sides of the border and will disrupt the key sectors, including the defense, construction and the automobile,” said Jean Simard, president and chief executive officer of the association.
The Minister of Industry, Melanie Joly, told journalists on Wednesday that the government speaks with the Trump administration, he strives to create jobs in Canada thanks to major infrastructure and investment projects in the defense sector.
“These prices are completely unacceptable, they are unjustified, they are illegal and we will make sure that we are fighting against them,” said Joly.
When he was asked if dollar prices for a dollar would be possible, Joly reiterated the comments of Carney’s counter-tale-tale-tale, but added that they were planning to impose “maximum pain” in the United States while having a “minimal” impact on Canadians.
“We must make sure that in everything we do, we are able to conclude the best offer with the Americans, but at the same time that we are able to create and protect jobs here in the country,” she said.
Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford said he was “unhappy” that Trump advances the doubling of the prices and that he had spoken with Leblanc and urged immediate action.
“This is a price for the price, the dollar for a dollar, we need to priced the upcoming steel in Canada to an additional 25% totaling 50%,” said Ford.
Liberal deputy Terry Sheehan, who represents Sault Ste. Marie – Algoma where one of the largest steel companies in Canada resides, said on Wednesday that the government was to respond and “retaliated hard”, qualifying the “ridiculous” tariffs.
He said that there was concern in his constituency, as well as others with steel or aluminum companies, claiming that there is a general impact of the prices placed on these industries.
“If an industry falls into northern Ontario, you simply do not lose your job, which is terrible, you lose equity in your home when these industries close,” he told journalists.
Dominic Leblanc, the Minister responsible for Trade in Canada-US, was in Washington, DC on Tuesday and spoke with the secretary of commerce Howard Lungick in what he called a “positive conversation”.
“Whenever we sit … We deepen our understanding in terms of concerns they have around so many problems,” he told journalists.
“This is an opportunity for us to also explain our firm position in terms of negative prices for the Canadian economy and Canadian workers, but also for the United States.”
Leblanc, however, did not say if a possible exemption would be provided in Canada.
Unifor said in a statement on Wednesday that increased prices on steel and aluminum are a direct threat to Canadian jobs and security, and also urged the federal government to act without delay to defend the industry.
“These prices kill investments in our sectors of steel, aluminum and car, and we are already seeing the consequences in lost jobs and economic instability,” said Unifor Lana Payne National President.
“We need immediate and energetic action to defend good jobs and protect our national economic security.”
The Canadian Labor Congress has also said that, as workers are faced with the prospect of layoffs following the doubling of the prices, the federal government must stimulate support, in particular by emergency reforms for employment insurance and wages as far as possible.
But Bea Bruske added that certain job losses have already occurred and that is why Ottawa must “face force with force” going from counter-tale to that no American steel or aluminum is used in Canadian production.
“It is essential because workers are faced with job losses now, workers want to know what our government is ready to do,” said Congress President. “We really have to see evidence in the pudding to see that this happens and that the government has an answer.”
– With Sean Boynton files from Global News and the Canadian Press