Federal government will protect Hamilton steel amid tariffs, Joly tells Dofasco workers
Since Minister Mélanie Joly took over the infrastructure portfolio last month, she and Dofasco CEO Ron Bedard have spoken every day about how the U.S. trade war is impacting Hamilton's steel industry.
"I can't emphasize enough how determined she has been in every meeting on taking care of workers," Bedard told a crowd of workers at the company's plant in Hamilton on Friday, alongside Joly and local politicians.
"It's unlike anything I've seen in my 38-year career. And the fact that she's here today wanting to understand what more she can do speaks volumes about how committed she is to our industry and our people."
Before Friday, Bedard had rarely spoken publicly about ArcelorMittal Dofasco's efforts to get the federal government's help as Canada's trade war with the U.S. escalates.
Joly's visit to Dofasco came a few days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order increasing tariffs of steel and aluminum from 25 to 50 per cent.
On Thursday, Canadian steel executives met with officials in Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal government, including Joly, to press for urgent assistance.
"It is clear that the government is seized with the gravity of the situation facing Canadian steel and understands the need for expediency in responding," Canadian Steel Producers Association CEO Catherine Cobden said about the meeting in Ottawa in a statement.
Dofasco plant a 'crown jewel'While Joly toured the Hamilton plant Friday, Carney introduced new legislation to eliminate federal barriers to internal trade and enable more infrastructure projects to be approved faster.
These projects will include power lines and pipelines, and building up the defence industry, all of which will require steel that's made in Canada, Joly said. Much of that steel comes from Hamilton.
"This is a national asset, the crown jewel of the manufacturing sector," she said of Dofasco's plant. "This is our opportunity to not only save jobs, but build jobs."
The federal government is working on a plan to help companies financially in the short-term to prevent layoffs, Joly said. The government is also going to attempt to stop "steel dumping," which is when foreign steelmakers sell steel into the Canadian market at ultra-low prices.
"We will have more to say very soon on those two issues," Joly told reporters. "These can't be empty promises. We're in action mode."
Mayor Andrea Horwath met with Joly Friday and said after that she urged the minister to "get things moving quite quickly."
'Hamiltonians are worried," Horwath said. "This is impacting people and families." She said in a statement earlier this week that the tariffs were putting "thousands of good jobs at risk."
Joly said diplomatic efforts with the Trump administration are ongoing and increasing Canada's retaliatory tariffs on American products is still an option.
"Everything is on the table because this is a massive, direct attack on steelworkers," she said.
cbc.ca
