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Canada also faces threat of dumped Chinese steel, will work with U.S. to prevent threat to jobs: Trudeau

Click to play video: '‘We had your backs last week’: Trudeau visits aluminum factory in Quebec following tariff battle'
‘We had your backs last week’: Trudeau visits aluminum factory in Quebec following tariff battle
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Quebec premier Philippe Couillard visited the Rio Tinto AP60 Technology Centre Monday in Saguenay, Qc. It's the first among several stops on a steel and aluminum tour amid continuing concerns about US tariffs – Mar 12, 2018

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau  says the challenges of cheap global steel and foreign dumping cited by U.S. President Donald Trump as the basis for steep new tariffs announced two weeks ago are real and that Canada faces them too.

He also suggested Canada is no longer willing to walk away from negotiations over the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). He had previously stated he would do so if a deal was not in the interests of Canadians.

Click to play video: 'Trudeau says Canada is working to prevent dumped Chinese steel'
Trudeau says Canada is working to prevent dumped Chinese steel

Following a meeting with aluminum producers in Sagueney, Que., Trudeau also said on Monday that securing a temporary exemption to the new tariffs took a “Team Canada” approach and that the government will continue to fight to secure a permanent exemption for producers from the tariffs.

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READ MORE: Canada’s back is against the wall on NAFTA, and ‘Trump likes it that way’: expert

Trump slapped a 25 per cent tariff on foreign steel and a 10 per cent one on aluminum last week and characterized the practice by countries like China of dumping their excess steel in other countries at below-market costs as a threat to national security.

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Trudeau said Canada shares those concerns and wants to work with the U.S. to prevent dumping by China that could threaten North American jobs.

“Canada is already extremely active in preventing the arrival of dumped steel or aluminum from the global markets, specifically China, onto our territory,” he said.

WATCH BELOW: Donald Trump signs 2 proclamations imposing steel, aluminum tariffs but Canada and Mexico exempt

Click to play video: 'Donald Trump signs 2 proclamations imposing steel, aluminum tariffs but Canada and Mexico exempt'
Donald Trump signs 2 proclamations imposing steel, aluminum tariffs but Canada and Mexico exempt

“This is something we take very seriously because it does come and directly impact Canadian workers and industry. As I said to the president, I’m happy to work with him to ensure diversion or other ways of getting lower cost material onto Canadian soil is prevented in every way we can. It’s something all allies need to work together on.”

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The current exemption for Canada and Mexico from the tariffs is temporary.

READ MORE: Steel and aluminum tariffs: From jobs to prices, how the new levy could affect Canadians

Trump has said the decision over whether to make that exemption permanent will hinge on whether both countries capitulate to his demands in renegotiations of (NAFTA).

A seventh round of discussions wrapped up last week in Mexico.

Trudeau, as well as Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and Finance Minister Bill Morneau, have repeatedly said that it is wrong to link the two issues and that doing so will not lead to a more favourable outcome of discussions for Trump.

READ MORE: Trudeau: Canada could walk away from NAFTA over ‘multiple issues’

He also said in a town hall in February that Canada would be willing to walk away from discussions on NAFTA is a good deal cannot be reached.

“Canada is willing to walk away from NAFTA if the United States proposes a bad deal,” he said to Canadians gathered in B.C.

But when pressed whether that was still the case during an interview with American TV network CNBC following his speech on Monday, Trudeau did not say.

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“We’ve never been willing to walk away,” he said. “We’ve always been willing to sit down and work meaningfully and constructively at the table. We’ve also said it has to be a good deal for Canada if we’re going to sign on but we have to work until we get to that deal.”

Trudeau said progress has been made on closing several chapters of discussion recently, noting negotiators will “put the pedal to the metal” in upcoming weeks.

“It’s so clear that there is a positive outcome for all three of our countries at the end of this,” he said. “I am confident we’re going to meet it.”

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