Defend Our Steel and Aluminum Workers
Ottawa, ON—The Hon. Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and the Official Opposition, released the following statement:
“Common sense Conservatives strongly condemn President Trump’s latest unjust tariffs targeting Canadian steel and aluminum workers and manufacturers. These tariffs cannot in any way be justified and are yet another betrayal by the President of the long friendship between Canada and the United States.
“I am calling on the government to immediately bring in retaliatory tariffs to respond to this unjust act and to protect Canadian steel and aluminum workers. If President Trump is applying 50 percent tariffs on our steel and aluminum, then Canada must hit back with 50 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imported from the United States.
“Our message to the US administration must be clear, do not mistake our kindness for weakness, we are a strong, proud and sovereign country and we will fight back against these attacks against our economy and our workers. And if the President applies further tariffs as he has threatened, we will hit back on those as well, we will not falter in defence of our country and these attacks will only harden our resolve.
“I am also calling on the Liberal government to further defend our steel and aluminum workers, listen to the leaders in our industry and take additional action to combat illegal dumping and unfair trade practices by China.
“Finally, I am calling on Mark Carney to reverse his plan to impose a massive new industrial carbon tax on Canadian steel and all other heavy industry. Carney’s carbon tax and Trump’s tariffs would decimate our industry forever.
“Only Canada First Conservatives will axe the taxes, green-light pipelines made with Canadian steel and bring home production and paycheques.
“Carney-Trudeau Liberals have imposed taxes and blocked projects making us more reliant on the Americans, while Carney profited by shipping jobs out of Canada to the U.S. He sold out Canada already and will do it again.
“We need a Conservative government that will put Canada First.”